The big drawback with copper jewelry is it turns your sking green as you wear it. One way to greatly reduce this is to plunge the red hot copper into a sloution of borax. This will leave a thin glass coating on the copper that protects it . The color is a very deep red to almost purple color .
I've found the stronger the patina, the less chance there is of your skin turning green. And yeah, I tried the borax one and am really satisfied with the red is created. I may upload a video of how I went about that patina. Thanks.
I heated a copper bracelet to dull red, sprinkled borax powder all over it, heated again and quenched in water and got a wonderful red. I may upload a video... Thanks.
I made a small bracelett with and for my little daughter. She had a lot of fun playing with fire :D My tip for you: use a handtorch and a normal brick to put on to bring the copper to a red glow. Muss less gas is wasted :) Uh and btw: put your copper afterwards in vinegar to get rid off all blackend stuff on it! :) You can bring it to a slow boil to fasten up the process. (every 10 kelvin the chemical reaktion doubles!)
@@gstongs When I was a child (50 years ago), I did a lot of work in copper, because at that time, copper was one of the cheapest metals available in those years, and I always cleaned it with wine vinegar and sea salt. But you're right, that green oxidation happened especially in corners that were difficult to polish. Otherwise, personally it didn't bother me, it gave it an old look.
Most Red and Yellow brasses and bronzes have very toxic metals in their makeup including but not limited to even the non-radioactive isotopes. Beryllium, Zinc, Iridium, Antimony, Leads, Mercury, Arsenic, Teryllium, etcetera. And I feel confident that acids and bases add trouble to the game. You can't continue to rob Peter to pay Paul. Eventually Peter is broke and even the doctors can't fix you
I've also thought about this and I've done some experimenting with brass but it behaves so much differently, becomes sort of crumbly, that I'm not sure... Thanks Ron.
I do have some brass and have done a little messing around but given your comment, I might steer clear. Still, a copper and brass mix could have potential. Thanks.
Hi Glen, I have a bunch of stranded copper wire. I wonder how that would work, in place of a single larger wire braided together. Interesting concept, another great project for when I am showed in this winter. Thanks for sharing.
Glen, I like your style. Nothing goes to waste. Copper is a nice alternative to work in the summertime, in California. Winter is perfect for steel and a glowing forge. Nice copper work. I'm trying your copper wire wrap / welding tip next time. KK
you could try her with a longer version as an Alice band for her head earrings to match will be tiny oh and a ring to match................. great vid and great work!! have you tried a three metal one, copper brass and stainless? something like that, see what three metals go like in one wrap?
I made my wife a copper ring and she really likes it. Finger has yet to turn green! I was going to try copper and brass but brass behaves so differently. Let's see... Thanks.
I think not letting copper oxidize (having a protective patina) should help or not wearing the jewelry all the time since the moisture and salts from sweat might cause this reaction. Thanks.
I currently don't sell these but my wife thinks I should. If interested, send me an email and I'd be glad to make you a couple. Thanks. Glen gstongs@gmail.com
It has been, in my experience, that the braided strands will eventually wear in two with just daily bending to fit the wrist. I have had a lot of luck with copper solder, whereas the welding technique will cause the thin edge to ball up. Also, be mindful of what chemicals you are dipping the copper in, some will pit the heck out of the surface.
I'm just getting into forging , I traded for a Coal forge 2 weeks ago. I have some coal and coke coming in today. Years back I had a customer give me some 1/2" thick copper plates I have 2 pcs like 4"×6"×1/2" thick . And 50 pcs of punch out slugs where I used a iron worker to make him a bus bar he needed. What would you recommend me to try and do with it as a beginner ?
Working with copper on the same forge you forgeweld in is not the wisest move. Now your forgewelding success will be much less. You'd need to change the interior of the forge to get rid of leftover copper oxides in it, they prevent successful forgewelding when forge is heated up.
Nice bracelets, Glen Have a Great Weekend. 🤙🤙
Thanks Scott. Hang loose brother.
I enjoy working with copper. Picked up some tips and tricks. Thank you! ⚒️🔥👍🙏🏼
Me too, I'm having fun messing around with copper. Thanks.
Cool, i like the way that bracelet turned out!
Glad you like it. My wife wears it everyday. Thanks Jeff.
Another nice bracelet.
I'm really having fun with these. Thanks.
Beautiful work Glen. Just shows you the variety of work a forge, hammer and willingness to experiment can produce! Very nice indeed!
A torch would make this easier but you can certainly make do with a forge for copper work. Thanks Robert.
nice work and I like seeing the finishes you try too, some great ideas there. Im with your lady I liked that finish too.
thanks for sharing
Later, I did a borax patina and that really turned out nice - brilliant red. I'll probably post a video about how I went about it. Thanks.
The big drawback with copper jewelry is it turns your sking green as you wear it. One way to greatly reduce this is to plunge the red hot copper into a sloution of borax. This will leave a thin glass coating on the copper that protects it . The color is a very deep red to almost purple color .
Ill try that one! :)
I'm curious if a saturated borax solution, would give a coating, and a different "quench color". 🤔. (down the rabbit hole I go. Lol)
I've found the stronger the patina, the less chance there is of your skin turning green. And yeah, I tried the borax one and am really satisfied with the red is created. I may upload a video of how I went about that patina. Thanks.
I really like the red I got from borax. Worth a try. Thanks.
I heated a copper bracelet to dull red, sprinkled borax powder all over it, heated again and quenched in water and got a wonderful red. I may upload a video... Thanks.
Great braiding technique✨✨✨
Very interesting pattern!
Thanks John.
I made a small bracelett with and for my little daughter. She had a lot of fun playing with fire :D
My tip for you: use a handtorch and a normal brick to put on to bring the copper to a red glow. Muss less gas is wasted :)
Uh and btw: put your copper afterwards in vinegar to get rid off all blackend stuff on it! :) You can bring it to a slow boil to fasten up the process. (every 10 kelvin the chemical reaktion doubles!)
Yes, a torch would make all this much easier. I soaked some copper in (cold) vinegar and salt and got a nice blue patina. Thanks.
That would look cool on knife handles like decoration and stuff
Yeah, would make a very interesting knife handle. Thanks for watching.
Nice work!
If you clean copper with vinager with salt, that will give a beautiful red shiny color.
I tried vinegar and salt and got just the opposite, greenish blue. There really is a lot of variation with these copper patinas. Thanks.
@@gstongs When I was a child (50 years ago), I did a lot of work in copper, because at that time, copper was one of the cheapest metals available in those years, and I always cleaned it with wine vinegar and sea salt. But you're right, that green oxidation happened especially in corners that were difficult to polish. Otherwise, personally it didn't bother me, it gave it an old look.
I do like that "old" look. Having fun experimenting with different copper patinas. Thanks.
Thats pretty cool Glen. I would be inclined to try Red Brass, Yellow Brass and Copper on a triple band.
Other have suggested this as well but someone else warmed about using brass due to some toxicity issue. Let's see... Thanks.
Yeah, if you get it red hot, the zinc from the brass can evaporate a bit. Can cause metal fume fever. Not good.
I love the way you experiment with different quenches. I hope to start something similar very soon. Thank you for sharing.
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
Think I would like to see a mix (or combination) of Copper and Brass. Might be interesting.
Most Red and Yellow brasses and bronzes have very toxic metals in their makeup including but not limited to even the non-radioactive isotopes. Beryllium, Zinc, Iridium, Antimony, Leads, Mercury, Arsenic, Teryllium, etcetera. And I feel confident that acids and bases add trouble to the game. You can't continue to rob Peter to pay Paul. Eventually Peter is broke and even the doctors can't fix you
I've also thought about this and I've done some experimenting with brass but it behaves so much differently, becomes sort of crumbly, that I'm not sure... Thanks Ron.
I do have some brass and have done a little messing around but given your comment, I might steer clear. Still, a copper and brass mix could have potential. Thanks.
Cool bracelets!
Thanks Tyler.
Hi Glen, I have a bunch of stranded copper wire. I wonder how that would work, in place of a single larger wire braided together.
Interesting concept, another great project for when I am showed in this winter. Thanks for sharing.
I think that stranded stuff would work out fine. Just have to be careful as it might melt sooner. Thanks Robert.
Glen, I like your style. Nothing goes to waste. Copper is a nice alternative to work in the summertime, in California. Winter is perfect for steel and a glowing forge. Nice copper work. I'm trying your copper wire wrap / welding tip next time. KK
Благодарю тебе. Очень красивый браслет. С удовольствием посмотрел его изготовление.
Thanks for watching and for your kind comment.
you could try her with a longer version as an Alice band for her head
earrings to match will be tiny
oh and a ring to match.................
great vid and great work!!
have you tried a three metal one, copper brass and stainless? something like that, see what three metals go like in one wrap?
I made my wife a copper ring and she really likes it. Finger has yet to turn green! I was going to try copper and brass but brass behaves so differently. Let's see... Thanks.
Good work reflection.
Keep it flowing 😉
Thanks for watching. I'll keep trying my best.
Love the experimentation
These look great! I want one 🤩 haha
مبدع فنان شكرا لك 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Thank you my friend.
Great work and super way to make a bracelet! Thanks!! I missed what gauge wire you started with? 💜💜💜
I don't know the gauge but I'm fairly sure it was 3mm. Thanks for watching and for your kind comment.
Very nice work
These are awesome Glen, I'm curious though in the past I've had copper jewelry but it has always stained my skin, is there a way to avoid that ?
I think not letting copper oxidize (having a protective patina) should help or not wearing the jewelry all the time since the moisture and salts from sweat might cause this reaction. Thanks.
Coat with bees was, even car wax or silicone spray. No green stain on your skin.
Good question, Vic.
Wake up, you folks from Montana. We're counting on you.
was the drain clean sodium hydroxide/lye or sulfuric acid ? also super wonderful videos I love you
I believe sodium hydroxide. Anyway, it really doesn't have much muscle. Glad you love me. 😬
That’s very nice my first one was similar but I lost it, do you sell them?
I currently don't sell these but my wife thinks I should. If interested, send me an email and I'd be glad to make you a couple. Thanks. Glen
gstongs@gmail.com
It has been, in my experience, that the braided strands will eventually wear in two with just daily bending to fit the wrist. I have had a lot of luck with copper solder, whereas the welding technique will cause the thin edge to ball up. Also, be mindful of what chemicals you are dipping the copper in, some will pit the heck out of the surface.
I'm just getting into forging , I traded for a Coal forge 2 weeks ago. I have some coal and coke coming in today.
Years back I had a customer give me some 1/2" thick copper plates I have 2 pcs like 4"×6"×1/2" thick . And 50 pcs of punch out slugs where I used a iron worker to make him a bus bar he needed.
What would you recommend me to try and do with it as a beginner ?
I want one! 💛
You got it sis!
why do people insist on quenching when they anneal. It has the opposite effect. heat and allow to cool naturally
No, it doesn't. Copper isn't steel.
@@lyricderbinmetal crystals are metal crystals. Quenching makes small, dense and hard to bend structures.
@TheJDiane quenching doesn't harden copper. Only way to harden copper is through work hardening.
I wish they would make this in a usefull caliber 5.56 or 308
perfect
Thanks. 😬
😃😃😃😃😃😃
Thanks so much.
Working with copper on the same forge you forgeweld in is not the wisest move. Now your forgewelding success will be much less. You'd need to change the interior of the forge to get rid of leftover copper oxides in it, they prevent successful forgewelding when forge is heated up.
Yes, I understand this and it's not a problem as I very rarely forge weld. Thanks for the heads up.
Those are cool 😎
What's wrong with y'all??
Don't you mean yous guys? 😬
amazing bro
Thanks.