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Thread: All about platinol

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
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    Scotland
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    3,392

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    Thanks Sheena. Sorry you can't make it. Most of them are really nice folk, some can take an hour of attention and trying on and then not buy but generally I'm on their lists now which is good and I have some great conversations with really intelligent people who I don't normally come into contact with

    I'm not sure what to say about cleaning copper, sometimes it seems really greasy and I don't know why. I'm sure you'll work it out, every day is a new learning curve otherwise I suppose it would become boring. I know I need a challenge, today mine was making settings for big Labradorite, one rectangle and the other a lozenge. The bit of gold wire I bought is so pale I can't tell it apart from the silver ones so I'll probably have to buy a big red gold and hope that it's good enough. Hey ho!

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Romsey
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    5,256

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sheen View Post
    Just watched nancy hamilton's 'cleaning metal' video on utube and how the water should sheet off the metal. I've never been able to get it to do that. I've tried using fairy liquid and a brass brass or a toothbrush and soap and gotten nowhere need to consider my next move. any tips?
    The water break test for sheet metal... Kind of important if making mokume gane too. I'm a bit fastidious on the cleaning step, so this may not be entirely relevant for your needs. Pick out the bits that are useful

    Clean metal with Scotchbrite wheels on the polisher.
    Clean metal in ultrasonic - I use an etching pre-treatment that has sodium silicate (amongst other things).
    Clean again with pumice & Scotchbrite pad.
    Rinse in deionised water - 2 steps, first to get the pumice off, second to rinse.
    Holding tank of deionised water with ~2% phosphoric acid.
    Remove, rinse in deionised water again & pat dry/air dry.
    Water break test... Go back to the pumice stage for any that fail.
    Dry. Again.
    Stopped using isopropanol for the most part as I felt it was assisting oxidation, but it's a handy degreaser.

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Manchester UK
    Posts
    937

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    This is a really interesting thread thanks

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
    Location
    Preston, Lancashire.
    Posts
    150

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    Wow Peter!
    You've made me feel really dirty...
    Sally

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Posts
    946

    Default Cleaning metal

    Thanks peter, am interested in the pumice. Found on cookson it's classed as hazardous so i found a seller on ebay.co.uk (silver tool shop) that sells all differant grades of pumice from very coarse to very fine.

    Also had a look at nancy hamilton's product of choice bon ami.
    http://www.originalclean1886.co.uk/M...er-c2x20646033
    So am going to try either of these next.
    Last edited by Sheen; 19-03-2018 at 06:21 PM.

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
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    8,845

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    You could just buy a domestic scouring powder such as Barkeepers Friend.
    Pumice and the like clings to brushes and is difficult to rinse away, so keep them separate. Dennis.

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
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    Thanks Dennis, I find cleaning products really confusing as I've never used any of them and never heard of any of them. I lot of products in my jewellery books are American and I never know what the British equivalent is.

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
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    Well you can certainly simplify things by browsing the products in your local supermarket or hardware store.
    For instance cat litter with salt and household ammonia in a closed box will give you a speckled green patina on copper after a day or so.
    Sanding blocks and pads used for rubbing down painted surfaces are great on metals.
    All sorts of emery boards, plain and padded can be useful, cut to custom shapes with the most versatile tool of all, the snap off craft knife. Dennis.

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
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    Dennis, how do you remove platinol? Torch it off or pickle? I oxidised two copper hearts, i don't like the result so going to try the heat patination for those instead.

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
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    Yes, torch it off and pickle. It's difficult to visualise something in black until you've done it and then you might hate it.
    With torch patination, waxing removes the colour. Dennis.

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