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How do you oxidize silver (wire, chain, jewelry clasps)?
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Q. What is the best/easiest way to oxidize silver? I can't seem to find anything on the internet about this. I'm a jewelry artist and would like to oxidize silver chain and wire, also silver jewelry clasps.
Thanks!
Jamee J [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Pukalani, Hawaii, USA
+++A. Silver can be oxidised by dipping in tellurium di oxide and hydrochloric acid 1% or dip in polysulphide solution.
Panjala Mukesh
fashion jewelry mfgr.
Hyderabad, India
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Q. Thanks for your response. I have no idea what those solutions are or where to get them. Is this something easy to purchase and where would I get it? Can anyone direct me to a good book on oxidizing silver for jewelry making? thanks, Jamee
Jamee J [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]- Pukalan, Hawaii, USA
+++A. The company you are buying your jewelry making supplies from should be able to supply you with an oxidizer for silver. " Liver of Sulphur
[linked by editor to product info at Dick Blick]" works and there are others.
Neil Bell
Red Sky Plating
Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Q. I have used "Silver Black" a few times, but have been told the black rubs off of the chain. Maybe I need to clean it better before I put it out to sell. Tim McCreight has a book called "The Complete Metalsmith" [link is to product info at Amazon] and he talks about coloring metal, and also mentions the Liver of Sulfur.
Try inter library loan.
Roxy Lentz- clarksville, Indiana
+++A. To oxidize silver: Sulphur [linked by editor to product info and sourcing at DudaDiesel]. It looks like little broken pieces of yellowish dirt. USE CAREFULLY....It works almost TOO well. Which will require much polishing OFF the oxidation where it is not wanted.
Louine Smith
- South Texas
+++++A. You can also get a nice oxidized finish by putting silver jewelry in a plastic or paper bag with something that gives off sulphur. I always forget what it is, but it is some food item, like a hard boiled egg or such...I'm looking around on the internet, too, since I can never seem to remember what the item is!
Karyn Lowe
joi d vivre designs - Thousand oaks, California, USA
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Q. Did anyone find out the natural way to oxidize silver? ie: put an egg in a bag, etc? Also, how much does this sulphur stuff cost if you buy it from a catalog?  August Miller August Design - Atlanta, Georgia USA
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++++++Wow, the "egg in a bag" really worked, it worked well and fast. I used the fresh (warm) hard boiled egg in the baggies and mashed it up through the plastic. I inserted the objects to be oxidized and was stunned to see how quickly it worked. I wrapped sections of the objects in saran wrap where oxidation wasn't desired. The result was glorious. I had the desired tone in 1 hour. Thanks guys!
Lisa Lynn Bocook
- Bryson City, North Carolina
August 27, 2008
Q. Hi Everyone,
I am a designer at a jewelry company and I have made some plain round bangles that we oxidized with liver of sulfur. We then sealed the oxidation with a clear coat lacquer from rio grande. After a few weeks the bangles have turned lighter and blotchy. My Question is; Is there a way to oxidize a bangle that is durable and won't fade? If there are any ideas please share:)
Jewelry Designer - Los Angeles, California, USA
September 13, 2008
Q. Does oxidizing silver with either an egg change the gold that is on the piece of jewelry?
Trish Marx- New York, New York
December 31, 2008
A. The easiest cheapest, most readily available method of oxidizing silver is the use of ordinary household bleach. It turns the silver a dull, dark gray.
Ken Cooper- Atlanta, Georgia
April 21, 2010
A. It is EASY easy easy to oxidize silver. You just put it in bleach and it turns black!
Tania Groth- Denmark
November 14, 2010
A. In my studio the demand for oxidized jewelry has been thru the roof. We've found that using dry liver of sulfur diluted in hot water till light yellow works best. Make sure item is very clean and dry (free of fingerprints too). Submerge piece for a few seconds and rinse. Repeat until desired color is reached. *Caution-Liver if Sulfur is very toxic. Use in well ventilated area with tongs to insert and remove your jewelry.
The trick to sealing in the oxidation is to place a dab of mineral oil on your fingertips and then rub into metal. Rub with Kleenex and finish with light polishing cloth. It is beautiful.
- gold country, California
January 5, 2011
A. Keep in mind that liver of sulfur (powder form) loses its effectiveness after a year or so. I purchased a jar of it and mixed a little with hot water, and used this same solution for about a year, just reheating it in the microwave whenever I wanted to use it. Then when that lost its effectiveness, I tried to make a new solution from the same liver of sulfur container, it would not work. I just tried soaking in liquid bleach, and it worked in about ten minutes!
Bernadette Boes- Martinez, California
January 9, 2012
Q. Out of the dozens and dozens of sterling silver charms I own, only two are rhodium plated--an American robin and a chickadee. Normally I wouldn't consider buying a plated charm because I prefer the patina of sterling silver, and especially, antiqued sterling silver, but the robin and the chick (both of which had special meaning for me) existed only in the plated version. And believe me, I checked the ENTIRE Internet!
Even though the charms are pretty as is, I wonder if I can experiment antiquing them using the at-home egg method. Will this harm them in any way? And if the method is safe, will I then be able to rub away some of the black coating to bring out the charms' details?
Consumer - Blackwood, New Jersey, USA
January 10, 2012
Hi, Donna.
The whole purpose of the rhodium plating is to prevent the silver from tarnishing. So the better the quality of the plating, the more it will frustrate your efforts. You can try to polish off the rhodium plating; it is very, very thin, unlikely to be more than about 30 millionths of an inch thick.
Regards,
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 Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey |
January 12, 2012
Frustrating my own efforts - sounds like my M.O.! :)
Donna Maffei- Blackwood, New Jersey, USA