How to patina copper jewelry | tutorial #2

Supplies needed:
Liver of sulfur ( I use the extended gel in the video)
baking soda
steel wool very fine 0000
toothbrush (optional)
Hot water
Questions welcome. Thank you for watching!
Website www.thesirenandthepirate.com
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[@ethereal369]

•The super fine steel wool that doesnt leave scratches can be purchased at most hardware stores. It's called 4 ought, grade 4 or "0000" steel wool. •Also, it's a good idea to use a wooden or plastic spoon when removing items from liver of sulfur patina solution. Metal utensils can react with and affect the coloration of your pieces.

[@ooohlaa13]

Your work is so meticulous and balanced. Stunning. Thanx for the excellent teaching. I once had some liver of sulphur, I hope I can find it. You are very inspiring!

[@lauriestevenson5247]

Your items are AMAZING!!!!!

[@JeniGray]

I did Not know you could do this with a gemstone! What a relief!

[@Alanadesigns]

Thanks ! Very helpful 👍🏻

[@richardbouska1504]

How did I not find your channel until now? Very helpful video's! Thank you so much! 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

Thank you!

[@theresahanson5022]

Beautiful

[@mikeemmons1844]

Sick. Love it

[@terriedwards5056]

I love it

[@fontanot]

Amazing, you just earned another subscriber

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

Thank you and welcome! Very happy to have you here.

[@mawi1172]

You're superb!!! You're on an island? Cool!!!

[@maudom4346]

cool!!!

[@caedavies3816]

Hi.....love those!!!! Do you have a polishing tutorial?

[@mawi1172]

They sure look nice now. No island lock for me!!! Don't like being on an island, tho I was born on one! 🙄🙄

[@juanitapearson5282]

Beautiful pieces! I have lots of copper jewelry I need to patina, but was afraid to do it. After watching your tutorial I am getting braver.

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

Go for it! :) Why do you feel afraid?

[@juanitapearson5282]

@@TheSirenandThePirate afraid I would mess it up or wouldn't like the results. 🙂

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

Juanita Pearson ahhh it would be hard to mess it up. I’ve also gone through the thought “do I want to patina this piece because I like how it looks right now” but then the copper starts to oxidize on its own and I end up treating it and loving the results

[@synergy3188]

I clearly do not know what I’m doing. I just messed up 4 months of wire wrapping because I don’t know what I’m doing. I can only hope I can brush some of it out. My best guess at what I did wrong is my material I used are not able to oxidize?? One wire oxidized really well but the other wire has spots of oxidation. Some pieces didn’t oxidize at all. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ my best piece of advice is DO A TEST STRIP! Maybe weave a 3“ piece using the wire in your pendant to see how it will turn out first? LESSON LEARNED (the hard way)

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

What was the wire material you used?

[@mohandasnair9211]

liked your comments on taking care ò the waste material. aprecite your concern on environment

[@ErisApplebottom]

Were those comments about concern for the environment? I thought she was saying that cuz it might not be good for your plumbing. Considering that a lot of plumbing fixtures involve copper and brass.

[@ErisApplebottom]

Im hoping for the clarification cuz i know there might be people whod be like "hah, you dumb tree huggers" *pours liver of sulfer or whatever down the drain* *Pipes start leaking a week later*

[@theresahanson5022]

❤

[@brooked5346]

Do you seal your pendants after applying the patina or is that unnecessary in your opinion? I'm a beginner and unsure if that last sealing step is necessary. Thank you for a comprehensive tutorial!

[@farrenrohana]

Can you do a tutorial on the pendants your patinaing please? ❤❤❤

[@JessLaventure]

Very informative!

[@paulyousef7044]

I realize I am kinda randomly asking but does anybody know a good place to stream newly released movies online ?

[@xavierfinn8075]

@Paul Yousef i use FlixZone. You can find it by googling =)

[@caysonrowan172]

@Xavier Finn Yup, have been watching on Flixzone for months myself :D

[@paulyousef7044]

@Xavier Finn Thank you, signed up and it seems like a nice service =) I appreciate it !!

[@xavierfinn8075]

@Paul Yousef You are welcome :D

[@tracydriscoll4998]

Great video....very clear instructions. Any chance you could make a tutorial of the pendant with the sea sediment(?) stone? I love it!

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

Are you talking about the small pendant in the video? I’ll have to search for photo of it- I made it years ago! I’ll see what I can do

[@tracydriscoll4998]

@@TheSirenandThePirate Yes....that's the one!! It doesn't have to be exactly like that one, but of a similar design. I'll keep my fingers crossed and I'm so glad I ran across your videos! I'm addicted to making wire jewelry!! :-)

[@christinewessels4586]

Thank you! I have been afraid to even try to patina because it looks so complicated. I am hoping maybe you have a tutorial on polishing and sealing. I would like for the jewelry not to need to be polished if it can be.

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

At the end of the renegade ring tutorial I have some polishing tips! I should maybe make a separate video on that.

[@christinewessels4586]

@@TheSirenandThePirate Yes!!!! I’d watch it for sure!

[@samayantra]

thank you for this! so helpful! once the process i over, does the patina effect stay like this for life or does it change on the years to come? many thanks!

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

Copper and metals will continue to patina over time so you may need to polish it once in awhile

[@sheri4673]

@@TheSirenandThePirate Have you ever had the liver of sulfur damage any of your stones?

[@MsLorriedee]

What was the tooth brush used for? I’m assuming just in the scrubbing process?

[@rl1947]

Thanks for sharing🙏. What do you do with the leftover of liver sulfur container, you keep it for stain other pieces in the future, or where do we have to waste it, is it bad for the enviroment? 🌹

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

I keep them for other pieces.

[@rl1947]

@@TheSirenandThePirate thanks, your works are beautiful❤️🌹

[@Bevoe]

Do you have to brush the pieces immediately after oxidizing or can you wait a day or so?

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

I highly recommend you do because it becomes very difficult to get off if you let them sit. If you have a rotatory tool to take off the patina it might be okay but anything else will be tough.

[@syntheticaestheitc3325]

Do these still turn your skin green after processing? Should I coat them in protective spray before selling my work? These are the questions keeping me up at night.

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

Yes, the copper can still turn the skin green after it has been treated. Mostly it’s rings and some bracelets because of the amount of surface area in contact with the skin and the hands are typically more sweaty. Personally I don’t have a problem with pendants and earring only a small dot of green in the hole if my ear. You can coat them in a sealant if you like but I find that over time the sealant starts to come off anyway snd then the piece doesn’t look great. Also, copper has benefits to wearing it- if the skin is turning green it’s a sign that the wearer is absorbing the copper. I find that the best thing to do is educate your buyers on what to expect with copper jewelry. The benefits of copper, that it can turn the skin green (but washes off easily and the piece will not be damaged) and that it needs continual polishing over time especially if one lives in a humid environment or close to the ocean. This way your customers understand from the get go what it’s like to own and maintain copper jewelry. I have a care handbook in the footer of my website at www.thesirenandthepirate.com if you want to read through more care instructions. Hope this was helpful.

[@syntheticaestheitc3325]

@@TheSirenandThePirate I cannot thank you enough!!

[@virginiawestwood643]

Do you have a tutorial for the 1st pendant that you oxidized ??

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

I don't sorry! It was such a long time ago I don't even remember how I did it!

[@heather5208]

What kind of stones are you using? Are there any stones or beads that would be damaged in the patina process?

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

The one is lapis lazuli and I can’t remember what the other is. I haven’t come across anything that has been damaged by the patina. I’ve heard there are probably some stones or pearls you shouldn’t...I guess I did have some beads once get damaged. The outer layer of the bead came off. Maybe run a google search on whatever you are trying to patina first just to check.

[@feche2796]

The pieces you've made are so beautiful and the video was very helpful, thank you so much for that. The only part that wasn't cool was how much you wasted water... Pleaaaase pretty please don't let water run like that, it physically hurts to watch. Again thanks for the helpful video and for being so cool

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

Fe Che a fair request I can abide. Thanks for watching!

[@feche2796]

@@TheSirenandThePirate Wonderful :)

[@mawi1172]

Fe Che:. Are you daft? She didn't waste a bunch of water. OMG! Can't you public EVER stop being so critical? It hurt to watch? You sound unhinged.

[@mawi1172]

The water police are gonna come get you. 🤪🤪

[@BevChoy]

Can you patina with pearls and softer stones with liver of sulfur? I tried using a different patina and it made my pearls peel apart…

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

You may try brushing on the patina to the parts you want and avoid the pearl or soft stone. There are different patinas out there you can use.

[@BevChoy]

@@TheSirenandThePirate thank you,

[@aprilwhite6853]

How do you know if tumbling your wire wrapped stone is safe for you stone?

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

I don't tumble my pieces but I've seen other makers poo their stone out and tumble the frame- depends on how you have it wrapped if you can do that or not

[@ditchstick]

could you leave it black? or is that a different process?

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

You could buy I personally don't like that look. You can take off as much or as little as you like.

[@Mavisypy]

Hi, may i know if i don't have any sulfur gel, can i replace with sulfur powder?

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

I haven’t used sulfur powder before so I can’t say for sure, but if it’s suppose to do the same thing I don’t imagine it matters if it’s liquid, gel, or powder. Just do a KZbin or google search on how to use your sulfur powder. Thanks for watching!

[@Mavisypy]

Thank you for replying my message, it's help.

[@claudiadelcastillo261]

you should turn of the tap while you are doing this

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

Claudia Del Castillo absolutely.

[@stephaniewilson4190]

Can you leave it black?

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

Stephanie Wilson If you like it that way I suppose you could.

[@lynng3421]

Will the black rub off on their finger or clothes?

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

Nah...especially after polishing it won't

[@lynng3421]

@@TheSirenandThePirate do you seal your items? If so with what?

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

I don't seal my copper items after they have been patinad. I have tried to seal copper in it's shiny state. I think I used some sealant spray from ace hardware. I've also heard people using nail polish. But I don't like to seal bc eventually it does start to wear off or peal off.

[@lynng3421]

@@TheSirenandThePirate thank you! I do not seal wither,and wondering if I should?

[@TheSirenandThePirate]

It's your preference. I used to try new techniques or stuff out like that one jewelry and wear it myself for awhile to see how it holds up. And if you're selling do whatever you prefer and just let your costumer know what it is and what they can expect. If your copper is sealed it will maintain it's shiny state for a bit longer but I find it's still going to patina under the sealant somehow and then I can't just polish it off. Letting them also know that it's sealed or not sealed and how much green is going to show up in their skin or not show up...how to care for the jewelry and that eventually that sealant will start to come off - depending on wear.