Homegrown patina?
 

Hi all

I read somewhere that if you leave a badge out in the elements for a period of time, it will take on some of it's (lost) patina? Or at least decrease the time it takes to gain a certain patina? I have a bi-metal WW1 badge which has been stripped of it's natural patina, and is now so bright it hurts my eyes.
Would as couple of months outside mellow it somewhat?

Cheers

Colin

Try suspending the badge over a cup of vinegar so that it is exposed to the vinegar fumes only. Leave for 1-2 days until you are satisfied with the patina. Then do the reverse side.

Cheers

John

Hi Colin,

From the moment a badge is born it is under chemical attack from air. The surface of the metal bonds with oxygen to form an oxide layer:

Metal + Oxygen --> Metal Oxide

copper + carbon dioxide --> copper carbonate

Once in this state copper corrodes thereafter at a very slow rate. It has a similar corrosion resistance to silver. Eventually it will form a green coloured layer (copper carbonate) all over. The nice patina we like to see is the the early stages.

This process can be accelerated with a catalyst (acid). An oxidising agent such as Iron (III) ions, permanagnate ions or dichromate ions dissolved in water can attack the copper and erode it quickly. Acids that contain dissolved air can also erode copper/nickel alloys but at a slower rate. This can cause pitting, which is definitely not a collector wants.

My advice is to leave your badges in dry(ish) air and wait a year or so for a nice patina to form. Good things come to those who wait :)

Garry

Time really is a great healer.

I cleaned this badge to the extreme (was extremely crud encrusted), on the 25th May.

Picture taken then on right, picture taken just now on left.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...psfec1a7b0.jpg

As already said, patience has its rewards!

Cheers,

Andy

Thnx guys.

John: interesting vinegar-tip!

I guess I'll try the waiting game :)

Colin

Otherwise, I believe if you put it in a manila envelope on a sunny windowsill, the chemicals in the die slowly take the shine off newly cleaned metal...

BP

Problem is sometimes the badges do need to be cleaned and the old "brown sauce & soap" doesn't hurt as you rinse off with soapy water old toothbrush to get in the grooves and that should be that! but sometimes it does come up odd looking but given time it will become a decent colour again! in time! from this i,ve discovered a couple of nice Silver badges in there! also found some that look "Duff" and wished I hadn't started, so I think its up to the collector as to should I or shouldn't I! all the best and congratulations Colin best wishes billy