Beginner Series: How to apply a Patina

Bright shiny silver is beautiful, but sometimes you want to take your pieces to the next level and highlight all those beautiful details you worked hard to include. This video shows you two products I use to patina my pieces. We will work with Midas Black Max and Liver of Sulphur XL Gel and see how each works. Follow along as I show you how easy it is to bring new dimension to your pieces.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
Piece to patina
TOOLS USED:
Warm Ammonia Solution for cleaning (recipe below)
Soft Brass Brush: amzn.to/3tcA870
Midas Black Max (www.riogrande.com/product/mid...) or Liver of Sulphur (amzn.to/36izAmh)
Cotton Swabs or Paintbrush (if using Black Max)
Baking Soda
Containers for patina (if using Liver of Sulphur), baking soda/water solution, and plain water
Wet/Dry Sandpaper (1000 grit)
3M Polishing Paper Assortment (400-8000 grit): amzn.to/36kVPYJ
DISCLAIMER: Links included in the Tools/Products Used list are affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content.
RESOURCES:
www.amazon.com/
www.riogrande.com
AMMONIA CLEANING SOLUTION RECIPE:
2 cups water
2 tbsp. ammonia
1 tbsp. Dawn original dish washing liquid
Mix all ingredients together and store in a tight container. Best if used warm.

[@catheykeaton303]

Tammy, Your pieces are beautiful. Thank you for sharing this info....perfect timing!

[@tammybaalman2429]

Thanks Cathey! I thought of you when I put it together.

[@nancydelamar6183]

Very helpful video, I learned so much. Thank you for sharing your expertise.

[@tammybaalman2429]

You're very welcome!

[@skintube1]

Really informative, thank you very much for sharing

[@tammybaalman2429]

My pleasure!

[@johnmimist]

Tammy again I love your videos! You did forget to mention thst the many colors you will see with liver of sulfur (depending on how long you leave it in) those colors don’t last at all. it’s only temporary even if you coated it with a varnish or renaissance wax or anything like that. those colors don’t last more that a little bit. I think if you’re teaching beginners you need to give all the information. I’m sure when you learned about LOL, you learned that. Love the rings!!!

[@zoewhite1109]

fab info thank you, how did you make the rings so intricate? I'm new to silversmithing and trying to learn online :)

[@tammybaalman2429]

Thanks Zoe. One of the rings is simply a patterned wire with plain wire soldered on either side to frame it for the band and a plain wire as a frame around the bezel. The other ring is an intricate twisted wire for the band that has been flattened. I learned this technique from Andrew Berry on the At the Bench site. I used a twisted wire around the bezel to compliment the band. When I started out, I challenged myself to make 14 rings for my friends. I posted a bunch of ring sized cabs and had my friends each choose one and provide me their ring size. They had no input into the design other than the selection of the stone. My goal was to make each one a different style so I could practice different designs and techniques. It also helped me figure out how to get the sizing right. It took me a whole year to complete those rings and I can say that I didn't always get it right the first time and had to start over. That challenge encouraged me to think outside of the box to come up with different band styles and ways to highlight or frame the stone. I watched lots of youtube videos and through trial and error, I figured it out. It is a lot of fun and there is always something new to learn! Good luck on your journey!

[@caileyalana5327]

Can we use baking powder instead of using baking soda for the neutralising solution? Baking soda is almost impossible to find in England unfortunately and I have to do my boss' ring in the next 2 days, so I'm on a bit of a time crunch

[@kimauger4293]

It looked like your rings had a mirror finish. I was wondering if using the scotchbrite pad and the brass brush cause it to have a satin finish instead? I want to keep a mirror finish.

[@thedogwoodwitch]

Hello, will Midas Black Max work on just solder? I purchased liver of sulphur because of this video, but it didn't effect my solder whatsoever. To give you an idea of what I'm doing, im not working with silver but am making soldered handles for smudge feathers and other rustic-looking tools. Novacan Black is crazy-expensive where I am, so looking for cheaper options. Your pieces are gorgeous!

[@tammybaalman2429]

Thank you! I'm sorry the liver of sulphur didn't work for you. I honestly do not know if Midas Black Max will work for you either. It's pretty much the same concept. I haven't used solder in this way. I use as little solder as possible and file away any excess, so I can't say whether the solder is affected by the patina. Hope you find some answers!

[@jasminerenei]

is it okay if i use lemon ammonia?

[@larrymoremckenzie3029]

A pain to clean up!