Thursday, October 25, 2012

Following up

Yesterday's clean-up of the Liver of Sulfured pendants didn't quite go as planned.

I know it's hard to tell in the pic (though enlarging it will help!) - but the Liver of Sulfur that was so hard to get on there (because of the acetone) is equally as hard to get off! Look at the oval piece at top left - I can see at least 3 black patches on it without even clicking on the photo. These absolutely will not come off (unless I sand them off, but that will get rid of the etching, too!) -

They all have these black splotches on them (and the backs are WAY worse - but since it's the back, I'm not really focusing on that.)

I'm toying with the idea of just covering it up with another patina - maybe Gilder's paste, maybe alcohol inks. Don't know. I'm kinda of tired of them right now, from all the time I spent with them yesterday!

6 comments:

DeborahRead.com said...

Get Some Penny Brite - I had same thing - I didnt like the LOS and I had to take it off - that or hot pickle and it comes off easily - sand paper on dremel split mandrel works too
- and yes there were also zentangle pieces I had to clean at the time

Sweet Freedom said...

Man, Wish I'd known that yesterday! I have a full bottle of Penny Brite in the cabinet! Woo-hoo!

Thanks, Deborah. you are a fountain of useful info!

DeborahRead.com said...

Yes I had two big jars and could not remember what I bought them for
I scrubbed and could not get it off
a hot pickle will do as well - and I love my dremel splint mandrel with the sandpaper in an then again some good old fashion elbow grease and some 0000 steel wool works wonders too - these are silver ? penny brite is really for copper but I find it works well on silver too

Sweet Freedom said...

They're copper; I know they look silvery in the photo.

I was trying to avoid pickle, because a) I didn't want to set it up, and b) I didn't want to have to deal with ITS side effects - the etching, the funny pink coloring I inevitably get traces of

I was wondering if I couldn't burn the LOS off with the torch, but then I would have to pickle off the firescale, so it was a lose-lose proposition.

I seriously steel-wooled those little pieces for HOURS. What you seen in the photo is what was left when I finally could NOT get any more off.

I tried sanding with the Dremel, but it was leaving bad scratches, and taking off the etching.

Didn't get around to PEnny Brite today - maybe tomorrow or Saturday.

Supposed to put up X-mas decorations in the shop tomorrow - I hate that job. Plus, it was 87 today, so it is hard to think about X-mas!

Thanks for your suggestions!

DeborahRead.com said...

87 - wow - we had a great day at 70 here but its going to drop down to the upper 30's within the next week
you will love the penny brite

DeborahRead.com said...

find an old toothbrush or one from dollar store
dip wet into penny brite then be amazed