Inlay patina

[Maurice]

Trying to achieve a slate-grayish color patina for a inlay design. Any experience out there with chemically or otherwise treating German silver to achieve that look. Or any experience - good/bad/drawbacks - with using pewter as an inlay material. Want a dull finish versus one that shines. Something like an old lead round ball.

[Nate McKenzie]

I've had success with using different cold blue solutions.  Try several and see which ones you like best.

[Acer Saccharum]

I've used 44-40 cold blue to give various patinas on brass and silver.

I don't use it as a steel blue, because it rusts whatever it touches.

[boman]

liver not flower(fixed it) of sulphur works for me got it from rio-grande

Steve

[Mark Elliott]

flower of sulphur works for me got it from rio-grande

Steve

Did you mean "liver" of sulphur instead of "flower of sulphur?    I use Liver of Sulphur gel which gently darkens nonferrous metals.

[Hungry Horse]

Liver of sulfur will turn sterling silver black as coal if overdone even a little. I haven't had much luck with it aging German silver.

  Hungry Horse

[JTR]

Well, German Silver isn't silver, its Copper, Nickel and Zinc.

Something that darkens copper might darken german silver.

John

[boman]

Did you mean "liver" of sulphur instead of "flower of sulphur?

 Yep---fixed it---and as you pointed out it is much less agressive(which I prefer) in darkening brass than some other stuff I've used.

 Steve

[Maurice]

Thanks for all the responses. Simplified my inlay design to use all brass instead of a german silver/brass combo. I experimented on the brass with a product used in stained glass work for putting a black patina on solder and lead. It contains "nitric acid and selenium compounds". Gives a blackish/dark gray patina to brass which is very resistant to rub-off. Very close to the color I want. Have not tried the cold blue suggestion yet.

[redheart]

Take a little powder residue off your flintlock with a small wet paintbrush or finger and brush or rub it on the inlay.
To me it makes a very realistic patina.