QuestionI do textural weaving using 14/20 yellow gold-filled as weft & sterling silver as the warp - both are 21 gauge half round wire on a 20 gauge square wire YGF base/frame. All wire is half hard. I want to achieve a very solid black color on the 21g sterling silver 21g to make a strong contrast with the YGF. I tried oxidizing with patina, but the black is not concentrated or dense enough in color. I also need to be able to manipulate the wire to form the weave after I have colored it black. Any suggestions appreciated. Could one of the Midas Pen plating system work, but again I need to pre blacken and then handle and work with the metal and have it not crack, peel or easily scuff off the black color. I could just substitute an Artistic coated wire, but I hate to not be using the sterling. All my bracelets and matching earrings have been bi metal utilizing yellow & rose gold-filled and sterling silver combinations. Thank you ahead of time. I realize your time must be precious.
Linda Paine
www.fantastikjewelrystudio.com
AnswerDear Linda,
The best choice of coloring chemical is liver of sulfur. The color can go fairly dark but a true black is difficult to obtain. Be certain the silver is quite clean. Dissolve a small lump of the liver of sulfur(if purchased in dry form which is the best way) in hot water. The water needs to be near a simmer but certainly not a boil. Put in the liver of sulfur and the lump will dissolve and the water turns a dark greenish yellow. That is the solution to apply to the silver. The patina is more durable than most chemical induced patina, mimicking the natural tarnish patina.
If the gold filled is of good quality and not nicked on the surface, it should not be colored by the standard liver of sulfur. Stronger patina chemicals may very well put patina on the gold filled also and should be avoided. Try a small piece of gold filled with the liver of sulfur and see what happens. It may color on the snipped ends but should not along the length of the wire. If the gold filled does not accept the patina, then the approach is to weave the jewelry item first. Then, apply the warm to hot liver of sulfur to the item. Only the silver should take the color. Rinse well and the work is done, with perhaps a little touch up here or there.
Plated black from a pen plater will be tedious and silver is reluctant to accept plate such as this directly. Often it must be first plated with copper. You really do not want to get into that.
Please check the gold filled and see how it reacts or preferred DOES NOT react to the chemical. It if does not color, do the coloration after the weaving is done. If the gold filled does color, then color the silver with the liver of sulfur and weave with great care, perhaps using a tooth pick and the liquid to touch up any areas of patina disturbed in the weaving process.
Linda, please try as suggested and get back with me if you need to do that. Fair enough?
God Bless and Peace. Thomas.
