How To Make Silver Oxidised or Patina
Patina or oxidasion is the formation of black colored layer over silver due to tarnishing. This can natural or artificial. In this article we’ll discuss how to make silver oxidised or patina artificially.
What is Oxidised or Patina Silver?
Whenever silver comes in contact with sulfur, water or salts, it turns black. This can be used by some people as a way of creating new colors and designs making their silver jewelry unique. For doing it, you will need some chemicals that can react with surface of silver metal to turn it black.
What type of Sterling Silver Should You Use for Patina
Tarnishing is not a property of pure silver. For this purpose, you will need any silver alloy like sterling silver which can tarnish. For better results, use only these silver alloys.
Between these two, you can easily find 925 sterling silver as most jewelers deal in it. It also contains bigger copper content resulting in faster tarnishing. 935 silver has a low copper content which can take a little bit of more time than 925 sterling silver to tarnish.
How to Make Oxidized Silver by Forming a Patina
Here are five ways to patina silver.
1. Black Salt Method
This method uses volcanic origin black salt which can easily be found in every grocery store. We all know volcanos contain big amounts of sulfur compounds. So, any salt extracted from volcanic grounds will contain sulfur compounds as well. These sulfur compounds react with silver to make it tarnish. In this way patina appears.
Method
1. Take 2 tablespoons of black salt and mix it with half a cup of hot water.
2. Stir it and make sure all the salt is dissolved into the water.
3. Put your silver jewelry in it for 5 to 10 minutes with constant stirring.
4. After sometime you can see patina forming on your silver jewelry.
5. Continue the process until you see patina covering whole surface of the silver.
2. Boiled Egg Method
Boiled egg is another convenient way to patina your silver. Egg yolk contains a lot of sulfur gas which gives it the pungent smell. This sulfur can be used to patina silver.
Method
1. Boil 2 eggs and peel them off carefully. Try not to cook eggs for too long in order to avoid yolk turning green.
2. Put both eggs in a small air tight plastic bag. Make sure there are no holes in it for sulfur gas to escape.
3. Start mashing eggs with fingers without opening the plastic bag.
4. Once both eggs are mashed well, put your silver jewelry in it for 30 to 45 minutes.
5. Slowly, your silver jewelry will start turning black. Once done you will have your tarnished black silver jewelry.
6. You can increase the quantity of eggs if your jewelry size is big. This 2 eggs method works well on a medium sized ring.
3. Bleach Method
This method uses disinfecting bleach to create patina on silver jewelry. Bleach contains chlorine which is highly reactive towards silver and gives it a blackish color. Precautionary measures must be taken for this experiment as bleach contains harmful chemicals. Use proper safety equipment before trying.
Method
1. Pour some bleach into a bowl until if fills third of the full.
2. Drop your silver jewelry in it. Use a bigger bowl for bigger jewelries like necklace or anklets.
3. Let it remain there for 15 to 20 minutes or wait until satisfactory results appear. This time can be increased if you don’t see required results.
4. After the retention time you will have your tarnished jewelry. Clean it off and start using.
4. Liver of Sulfur Gel Method
Liver of sulfur is a toxic chemical specifically used to create patina over different metal surfaces such as sterling silver, copper, brass and bronze. It contains potassium sulfide compounds which are are very reactive towards any bare metal surface. In this method we’re using gel version of the liver of sulfur to avoid any splashing. You can use it in liquid form as well. Using get is only for safety purpose. You can easily find it online on Amazon or a chemical store for as low as $10.
Method
1. Take a half cup of hot water and drop 2 to 3 drops of liver of sulfur gel in it.
2. Stir it until it becomes uniform.
3. Now take a small piece of iron wire and hang the desired ring in a way shown in the picture.
4. Dip it in the solution for about 15 to 20 seconds. You will start seeing patina forming over silver. If you want darker patina, let it be there for an extra 15 to 20 seconds.
5. Midas Black Max Oxidizer Method
Midas Black Max is a professional jewelry oxidizer created specifically for this purpose. It comes in different forms and is commonly used by jewelers. As it is a strong reactive chemical, use gloves before using it.
Method
1. Take a cotton swab and dip it in the oxidizer bottle.
2. Start rubbing it on the jewelry surface. You will observe that wherever you rub the swab, it immediately turns black.
3. Continue rubbing until all the outer and inner surfaces of the jewelry are rubbed. Clean it with a cloth.
A Comparison of All Methods
All of the patina or oxidisation methods described above work in their own way with some limitations. For example, the black salt and egg method are going to give your just average results with less uniformity over the jewelry surface. So, it can be good if you’re doing some school project. They might not bring good level patina on silver jewelry.
If you want better results with uniformity, go for the other 3 methods. These chemicals are going to cost you but the results are totally worth it. When we do a side by side comparison, bleach is the one which brings the darkest hue followed by liver of sulfur and black max respectively.
Common FAQ’s about Oxidised Silver
Here are some common questions.
1. Why People Patina their Silver Jewelry?
Patina is all about random and unique patterns over your silver jewelry. It is a part of fashion and getting cool and unique designs. These patterns are a great way of having an unmatched fashion sense. They can be attractive and vibrant at the same time.
2. Which method is the most effective out of all?
Midas Black Max, Liver of Sulfur and bleach methods are the most effective ones as they are created specifically for this purpose.
3. Can I use these chemicals without safety equipment?
No, it is not recommended to use these chemicals without safety equipment. These chemicals are reactive and can damage your skin.
Conclusion
Forced tarnishing your silver is a great way of getting some unique and worth watching patterns on your sterling silver jewelry. It looks cool and can show a new kind of fashion. The main theme is to do a reaction of silver with sulfur compounds which will turn it black. It is better to use oxidative chemicals for better results. However, it is important to use safety equipment before trying any method with chemicals.