[TheForge] Wrought iron patina...

[Woolley]

Andy,
I can't help you with your problem but wouldn't mind knowing the patina 
formula, I like deep purple.

Regards,
Bill Woolley


Andy Vida wrote:

>OK, I'm wondering about something.
>
>I just finished a wrought iron cuff for a friend that I made from an 
>old railroad spike (there are millions of them all over the tracks in 
>places like NJ).  It is a plain cuff, nothing fancy at all.  Given my 
>almost absolute lack of tools these days, I ground the finish by hand 
>on a stone.  Came out rather nicely.  I was going to etch is for grain,
>but my friend wanted a smooth finish, so I tried my nickel patina.  
>This produced a really nice deep purple oxide, quite pleasing to the 
>eye, much like a rokusho patina on shakudo (shakudo is an alloy commonly
>of 4% gold in copper).
>
>Well, I have another little bracelet, in fact from the same spike,
>that I thought I'd try the patina on.  The result is a very dull
>and dark gray, approaching black.  I'm wondering why the difference
>in result, especially given that each object came from the same piece
>of wrought iron.  The only difference is that I etched the latter in
>HCl.  I'm pretty sure that must be the reason that they are different,
>but what I would like to know is why.  Anyone have any ideas?
>
>	-Andy
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