Patina

[Eleanor1961]

I'm having trouble with my copper after i antique it. Think i'm doing everything right....clean the metal, patina, baking soda, rinse, remove the patina with wire wool then polish to a high sheen with polish pads. Within an hour the copper has turned a yucky brown and lost all the polish. What's going on????

[ps_bond]

What patina?

[Eleanor1961]

Liver of sulphur gel.

[ps_bond]

I'd wash the gel very thoroughly then neutralise, personally. Then coat it with a wax polish to help delay further tarnish.

[Stacey]

Are you sure you are using bicarbonate of soda and not baking powder? Both are used in baking, but baking powder has a small amount of bicarb and a larger amount of cream of tartar. You need bicarbonate of soda to effectively neutralize LOS and NOT baking powder. If you are using definitely bicarb than add more to the neutralizing solution because it sounds like the LOS is still working on your copper.

[Dennis]

Copper will always return to a dull brown colour in air. It happens faster if the l.o.s. in the crevices remains active, and can be delayed with wax polish, but what you need in the long term is a dedicated coating like Everbrite Protectaclear.: http://everbritecoatings.co.uk/jewellery-restoration--protection-kits-10-c.asp Dennis.