How To Change Gold Hardware To Silver? The 111 Latest Answer

I’m the furthest from a tree hugger you’ll ever meet.

You already knew that, didn’t you?

But I like to reuse and recycle things.

I’m just cheap, really.

I prefer to reuse furniture fittings.

This is for two reasons.

1. I don’t want to spend money on new, expensive hardware.

See cheap?

2. I don’t want to have to drill holes for new hardware.

Okay, I’m lazy too.

These are my three favorite ways to update furniture hardware while doing as little and spending as little as possible.

Because that’s how we roll.

This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

1. Spray paint

Spray painting your hardware is the cheapest and probably the easiest way to give it an update. It’ll only cost you $3-$5 for a can of paint, but if you’re a spray paint fiend like me, you probably even have a can around the house that you can use. I tend to spray hardware when I really want them to pop off the furniture.

White is actually one of my favorite colors for spray painting hardware – especially when it’s against bright colors like the bedside table makeover above.

If I want a really bright gold on my furniture hardware, I spray paint it. The crowning jewel of the magenta dresser above is the gold hardware. If you want a really great gold, go for Design Masters Gold Medal Spray Paint. It’s one of the best golden spray paints I’ve found.

If you can’t decide what color to spray paint your hardware, white or black is usually a safe option – they go with almost anything.

2. Rub’N Buff

If you want a true metallic look for your hardware, your best bet is to use Rub ‘N Buff. Rub ‘N Buff is a waxy product that you literally just rub onto your hardware and then buff to as much shine as you like.

The moves on the red buffet above went from black to a muted gold with Rub ‘N Buff.

The hardware on my dresser and dresser in my master bedroom were in a rough state when I received them. There were a few rusty spots. I didn’t want to spray paint them because I knew it would take away from the beauty of the dresser and chest. Instead I used a brass colored Rub ‘N Buff and it worked like a charm.

Rub ‘N Buff comes in almost every metallic color under the sun – gold, brass, pewter, bronze and more.

3. Restore your hardware

Instead of painting or waxing your hardware, it might just need a really good cleaning. I found Bar Keepers Friend about nine months ago and quite frankly I think it’s a miracle product for hardware. I have no doubt they work some kind of voodoo magic into this little tin.

The first time I used it was on this vintage radio twist bar cabinet and I was shocked at how well it cleaned the trains. Here’s a direct comparison:

Amazing, isn’t it? Well these trains probably had almost 50 years of dirt on them. I’m not joking. I have a full guide on how to use Bar Keeper’s Friend here.

Do you have favorite ways to upgrade furniture hardware?

You might also want to read these posts…

9 Unique Ways to Remodel a Side Table – Clever and Creative Ideas!

The Best Painting Tools for Painting Furniture – a list of my time-tested favorite tools for painting furniture.

FAQ: Varnishing furniture – Do you have a question about varnishing furniture? This post probably has the answer.

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Learn how to spray paint doorknobs and pulls the easiest way with this simple little trick! best part? NO grinding required!

Live and learn, right?

When we bought our first home in Connecticut, Handan and I had yet to sail the wild and stormy seas of home improvement. Instead, we have settled into the safe haven of ignorance and, like obedient little consumers, paid through our noses for things we would not dream of buying today.

For example, when we were confronted with the old brass door handles in our first house, our immediate reaction was to throw up our hands, get in the car, and speed it to the Home Depot, where we dumped a hefty wad of cash on 16 of that dash door handles.

Expensive? Yes.

Necessary? Not at all!

Fast forward seven years and we are once again faced with a new house and all the expected and unexpected expenses that come with it.

When it came time to evaluate the interior door hardware — 20 sets of 20-year-old brass door handles — we knew there were going to be some changes.

Big changes.

But we had no intention of doing the Schlage route again. That would have cost us over $500. Maybe not much compared to a new hardwood floor, but it’s enough to cover the paint I’ll be using for our interior walls.

Our door handles may look a little tired and dated, but they work perfectly.

Push down and pull. Why fix (or replace) what ain’t broke?

But they could use a little refreshment, don’t you think?

So.

Spray painting it would be.

But.

BUT!

Search the web for ways to spray paint door handles and you’ll find a handful of variations on the same theme.

They all go something like this: clean knobs (or handles), sand, prime, and paint.

sand them.

I’m looking at 20 sets in this house.

That’s FORTY handles.

Do you think I’ll sit around and grind down 40 beeping doorknobs?

Madam, I am married to Handan, aka the Commander!

This is one woman with a honey-do list (aka the babes-do list) so long and wide-ranging that she’s migrated it to an interactive online calendar that stretches for years!

years, madam!

I suppose it’s a blessing, isn’t it?

I will never get bored as one look at the babes to do list inspires me to take action.

(time to make the donuts)

Anyway, do you think the Commander would stand by while I loaf around the house rubbing the doorknobs in my underwear while listening to opera music on Pandora?

Please.

She thinks my time is more valuable than that, and yours too, ma’am!

But if I value my time, that doesn’t change the fact that sanding is a necessary step for paint to adhere to an otherwise smooth metal surface!

Or is it?

What if there were another way to accomplish what sanding does – scrape the surface off to allow the primer and paint to grab some – without actually sanding?

(There is)

(there is totally)

There is. And I’ll show you how it’s done.

Okay, so we’ve found that the metal needs to be rubbed down since primer and paint won’t stick to smooth, non-porous surfaces (well, not for long, anyway). The trick is to sand the surface without sandpaper, and that’s how we’re going to do it.

I really wanted to spray paint our door handles, but I really didn’t want to sand those handles, so I started thinking about painting metal. In the world I’m familiar with – the DIY world – all advice on painting metal hinges comes down to the need for sanding.

As I said, I won’t do it.

So when the world I know doesn’t offer a solution, I look to other worlds (Handan is a master at it). In this case, I thought, who paints a lot of metal?

Car boys and car girls.

And then I was wondering, do they sand all the fenders and body panels first?

And while I didn’t know the answer for sure – after all, I’m a regular handyman who also dabbles in crafting – I suspected maybe they weren’t.

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Diving a little into the painting habits of car guys and car girls led to the discovery of the self-etch primer. It is an automotive primer with an acidic component that etches (scratches) the metal to allow the primer to bond to it. From there the paint can bond with the primer.

It might work for painting my door handles!

It would work to paint my door handles!

The science was solid, so I bought a few cans and prepared to paint our brass door handles.

How to paint doorknobs without sanding

Step 1 – Remove the door handles

I know, I know — it seems pretty duuuhhhhh, but I’d rather spell it than have an angry reader snap at me because her husband sprayed caustic primer all over her beloved French doors.

Be sure to save the screws and locking mechanism, but you can throw away the locking plate. There is no color in the world that can take so much abuse. We have replaced our latch strike plates with new ones. They’re very cheap at Home Depot, or you can pay a bit more and buy them from Amazon (also linked in the accessories list).

Step 2 – Remove the top layer of the door handles

If your coated doorknobs and handles are coated with a protective top coat, the primer will not actually etch as the acidic component will only etch metal. Don’t worry – there is a super easy way to remove the top coat from your door handles. Check out our How to Remove Polyurethane from Doorknobs post to see how we did it easily without sanding the top coat.

Step 3 – Wash the handles

To clean and degrease my grips I turned to the world’s best degreaser – TSP. A teaspoon of this stuff could flatten all the oiled-up pompadours at an Elvis conference.

Updated note on self-etch primers: Some readers pointed out that coated doorknobs and pulls can be coated with a protective finish. If that’s the case, the primer doesn’t actually etch since the acidic component only etches metal. Depending on what the topcoat is, you may be able to dissolve it with acetone (if it’s lacquer) or denatured alcohol (if it’s shellac). But if they’re coated in polyurethane (which is most likely the cast), watch the video below to see how we easily removed the poly from our grips with no sanding.

I filled a small plastic tub with warm water and added some TSP.

Next, I threw in the hardware to take a little bath.

While the screws sat in their chemical bath, I dipped a microfiber cloth in the TSP solution and cleaned the handles.

Note on TSP: It’s pretty hardcore stuff and you should definitely wear nitrile gloves when using it.

Why am I not wearing gloves you ask?

Madam, I like living dangerously. My wedding ring is proof of that, Amiright? eh? [You really love living dangerously, don’t you? – handan]

Oh crap, she heard me.

RUN!

Step 4 – Glue the latch in place

Since the latch is constantly rubbing against the latch, there really is no point in painting it. Tape it off with tape.

Step 5 – Arrange the door handles and hardware for priming

After the door handles and screws have dried well, place them on a piece of cardboard or a piece of Styrofoam for painting. I used styrofoam and pushed the handles and screws into the foam block. This not only secures the parts during painting, but also serves to cover the screw threads and internal components of the door handles.

Step 6 – Prime the door handles with self-etch primer

I took one at a time and sprayed the underside while holding the handle with a gloved hand.

Once I had a decent amount of coverage on the bottom of the handle, I put it back on the styrofoam block. When all the undersides were primed I sprayed the tops and the screw heads with a light coat of primer. After a few minutes I gave them a second light coat.

Note on Self-Etch Primer: The spec sheet states that after the primer has dried, sand either dry or wet with 400 grit. Anyone reading this may be wondering how I can say “no sanding required” when the spec sheet says otherwise. But remember that this product is for auto parts, and auto parts must be smoother than a baby’s business end. We don’t need this level of extreme smoothness, so we can skip the sanding step and go straight to painting.

Step 7 – Spray the door handles

After letting the primer dry overnight (that wasn’t necessary – after 4 hours you can paint), I spray-painted the door handles the same way I primed them. As with all spray paint, multiple light coats are better than one thick coat. I sprayed 3 light coats of oiled bronze on my door handles

Captain Spitzkopf strikes again!

Step 8 – Allow to cure and reinstall

Since doorknobs and handles are frequently used items, I like to let them cure for a few days before reinstalling them and then use them for as long as possible, up to a couple of weeks. The paint dries in a couple of hours but doesn’t fully cure for about a month.

So far I’ve only sprayed the handles on Baris’ doors (well, most of them anyway – I haven’t even tackled his bathroom yet). Still, that’s 6 sets (8 once I finish the bathroom)! The kid has doors coming out of the wazoo in this house!

This is what the updated doors look like. You’ll get a glimpse of The Boy’s new Royal Quarters. I’ll show you more of that soon.

As for the old hinges – I threw them away and bought new oil rubbed bronze hinges from Amazon. They’re cheap enough that it made more sense to replace them rather than degrease, prime, paint, regrease and reinstall.

For those participating, here’s how we stand on the short-term project list.

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Gold paint is a fantastic way to update your hardware, old or new. That’s exactly what we’re doing for these modern knobs. If you’re buying a brand new piece of furniture or a dresser, you might not like the knobs. But that doesn’t mean you can’t turn them into something you love. It’s possible with the perfect classic gold metallic finish.

Disclosure: This gold-colored hardware post contains affiliate links for your convenience, and I may be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. Click here for my full disclosure policy.

Delivery list for upgrading hardware with gold color

Original modern dresser knobs

These buttons are brought in by a customer for a quick update. She had bought new bedroom furniture for her daughter but wanted gold knobs rather than this dark pewter color.

Choose metallic gold color

We discussed gold metallic paint and settled on a beautiful gold in classic gold. I suppose we could have tried a gold spray paint like this one (HERE) but having used this metallic paint before I had a feeling she would love this one.

Painting hardware with gold metallic paint

Because these knobs are brand new, they don’t require much preparation. You can simply wipe them with a lint-free cloth to remove dust or finger oils. Next, turn all the knobs onto their heads.

This allows you to paint your liquid gold paint on the underside of the buttons first. You can use any good quality brush. I really like using small Taklon artist brushes (HERE) for this because the color is so easy and even to apply.

Once the gold metallic paint is dry you can flip the buttons and stand them up.

Now go ahead and paint the tops of your buttons.

Painting one side of the buttons and then flipping them makes it a bit easier to paint the hardware without having to touch it too much.

Metallic paintwork on modern hardware

You will find that this metallic gold paint dries fairly quickly. It has a slight sheen but isn’t overly shiny, making it a gorgeous gold color for any project.

This is such a quick and easy way to add a subtle shine to your hardware.

Here is the end result with the gold leaf color knobs on the dresser. What a great way to customize your furniture without having to paint the whole dresser.

You may also like

You can also find the same liquid gold leaf on a mirror makeover here: Gold Leaf Mirror Makeover

Do you prefer smaller craft projects? Check out these DIY Gold Leaf Coasters

For more information on painting metal, see How to Paint Metal – 10+ Painted Metal Makeovers.

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Use dark, reddish bronze spray paint to transform a brass or gold faucet, giving it the look of oiled bronze in a polished or satin finish. With cabinets or a vanity in espresso, an oiled bronze faucet has a tailored, clean and antique look. Whether you prefer a polished or satin finish to oiled bronze, spray paint can help you achieve an overall even finish, especially if you use a wire brush to remove imperfections before sanding. To paint without removing the faucet, mask off the surrounding sink and vanity to protect it from stray paint.

YKK stories

How to prevent metal zippers from discoloring and soiling a garment

During a garment dyeing process, different types of dyes and auxiliaries are used depending on the type of garment fabric. For example, a sulfur dye, a reactive dye or a direct dye is commonly used for cotton fabrics, while an acid dye is used for dyeing nylon products. In addition, the use of various chemicals such as reducing agents, oxidizing agents, acids and alkalis is widespread.

When an abundance of dyes and chemicals are present in a garment dyeing process, it can cause the metal components of a zipper to discolor and stain a garment.

A chemical reaction can occur when the metal components of a zipper, including the panels, slider, top stops, bottom stops and open portions, come into contact with various chemicals. This color change can cause staining on a garment. Also, the chemicals in the dye can react with the metal components of a zipper and cause the fabrics to fade or discolour. Fabric color change may vary from time to time depending on but not limited to the following factors:

Type and concentration of dyes/chemicals used

The processing temperature during the piece dyeing treatment

The length of processing time

The stain resistance of the garment

Very often the change in fabric color is further accelerated when the garment’s zippers are pressed against the garment when it is wet or left in a humid environment for an extended period of time.

Due to the properties of metal, a chemical reaction is difficult to avoid when metal zippers are subjected to the garment dyeing process. For this reason, we recommend sewing the zippers into a garment after the dyeing process. Also, a garment should be thoroughly neutralized, rinsed and dried immediately after the dyeing process to prevent dyes or chemical residues from reacting with a zipper.

When zippers need to undergo the garment dyeing process, we recommend performing a zipper response test prior to production to avoid undesirable effects on both the zippers and the garment.

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With the development of the clothing industry, the new materials, new techniques, and the washing process and after-treatment of the ready-made products have experienced increasing diversification.

You may have noticed discoloration of the teeth and metal zipper slider (red copper, brass and copper-nickel-zinc alloy) or dye transfer to the fabrics during the washing or post-treatment process.

In this post we analyze the causes of the problems as well as the precautions that can be taken to eliminate or prevent the problems.

Discoloration occurs on the metal

As is known by all, the copper alloy reacts with such chemicals as acid, alkali, oxidizing agent, reducing agent and sulfide, resulting in discoloration. Chemical reactions easily take place between such chemicals or residues contained in the fabrics or brought into the washing process and the metal parts of the teeth, slider, upper and lower stops and the holding box and pin, resulting in discoloration .

These reactions easily take place in the high-temperature and high-humidity environment. They easily occur when the products are packed in the plastic bags immediately after sewing, washing, and steam ironing and are kept in the bags for a long time. Chemical reactions easily take place between the substances involving reactive dyes and the copper alloy.

Discolouration occurs in wool and cotton products due to the washing process

Discoloration occurs when copper alloy zipper is attached to bleached wool fabrics.

In general, the following three methods can be used to bleach wool.

Processing using the oxidative bleach (e.g. hydrogen peroxide)

Processing with the reductive bleach (e.g. dithionite)

Chlorine treatment for shrink-proof processing of the finished products (chlorine group chlorinating agent)

Chemical gases (e.g. chlorine) are introduced when the chemicals involved in the above treatment methods (particularly the second and third methods) are not fully purified or neutralized. Also, the chemicals in the humid environment react with the zipper surface. The zipper’s teeth, slider, upper and lower stoppers, and holder box and pin, which contain copper alloy, will be discolored due to the chemicals and gas volatilization when the finished products are packed in the bags immediately after ironing .

tips

The materials used should be completely cleaned and dried.

The chemicals involved in the washing process should be fully cleaned and neutralized.

Wrapping should not be done immediately after ironing.

Discolouration occurs in leather products

Discolorations are caused by the residues of the tanning agents and acids used when tanning the leather.

Various tanning agents are involved in the leather tanning process, such as mineral acid (e.g. sulfuric acid), chromium-containing tannic acid, aldehyde compounds, etc.

The leather consists mainly of animal protein, the liquids of which cannot be disposed of easily after treatment. Contact between the residue and the metal zipper will result in discoloration of the metal due to time and humidity factors.

Review

Contact between genuine leather and zipper will cause discoloration of zipper teeth under the following conditions.

Temperature: 60℃

Humidity: 90%

Time: 72 hours

tips

The leather used should be completely cleaned and neutralized after the tanning process.

Clothing should be stored in a well-ventilated and dry environment.

Discoloration from sulfide

Sulfur dyes refer to dyes that can be dissolved in sodium sulfide. They are mainly used for the economical dyeing of cotton fibers and mixed textiles made of cotton and fibers. The sulfur black, the main type of sulfur dye, reacts with the zipper teeth containing copper alloy in the high temperature and humid environment, resulting in the formation of copper(II) sulfide (black) and copper(II) oxide (brown).

From the test it can be concluded that the discoloration is due to the sulfur dyes contained in the fabrics.

tips

Factors such as temperature, test time, pH value and the dosage of chemical agents must be taken into account.

Clothing should be completely cleaned and dried immediately after treatment.

Discoloration and discoloration occur in the sewn products due to the reactive dyes used

The reactive dyes used to dye the cotton and hemp products contain metal ions. A reduction reaction takes place between the dyes and the copper alloy, resulting in discoloration or discoloration of the fabrics. Discolouration also occurs with zip fasteners that contain a copper alloy due to the reactive dyes involved.

tips

Clothing should be completely cleaned and dried immediately after treatment. A strip of fabric could also be used to separate the zipper from the fabric.

Corrosion and discoloration from the use of the industrial cleaning pen

The industrial cleaning stick has seen wide application in the garment industry, which is mainly used to remove the oil stains brought in during the sewing process. However, due to the strong acidity of the industrial cleaning pen, its contact with the zipper, which contains copper alloy, will lead to corrosion and discoloration of the latter.

Corrosion and discoloration from dyeing/bleaching of the ready-made products

On the one hand, dyeing for confectionery products is not applicable in the zipper industry because of the corrosion on the metal parts such as zipper teeth, sliders, retainer box and pin, etc. due to the chemicals involved. On the other hand, the bleaching treatment used also leads to corrosion of the fabrics and metal zippers.

Pay attention to the concentration of the bleach. In addition, the temperature should be kept below 60°C.

tips

The test dyeing should be carried out before dyeing the ready-made goods.

Clothing should be completely cleaned and dried immediately after dyeing.

Conclusion

SBS Zipper is currently working on better solutions to the above issues. Please follow the tips below and contact us if you have any questions.

The products should be fully cleaned, dried in time, and stored in a ventilated and dry environment.

Sample tests should be carried out before the ready-made goods are dyed and bleached.

Discoloration and dye transfer studies should be carried out on the zippers.

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Depending on what “look” you want to achieve, you can try different ways to change the color of your metal surface. Usually, varying degrees of oxidation can occur on the surface of your metal depending on the method you use and the metal involved. When changing the surface color of your metal, protect your hands from the chemicals you are working with. Work in a well-ventilated area so chemical and paint fumes do not pose a hazard.

Place your metal on a baking sheet. Use a heat gun to apply intense heat to your metal until it changes color. This method usually works best on metals like copper, titanium, and steel. For example, heat applied to copper can transform its brassy-orange finish to a matte red, purple, or blue-white. Allow your metal to cool completely before handling.

Paint your metal with special metal paint using a brush or paint sponge. If you paint directly onto the surface of your metal, the color of your metal will change cosmetically, but it will remain the same color underneath your layers of paint. Metallic paint comes in a variety of colors, from white and black to green and burnt sienna.

Apply a colored metal wax to the surface of your metal with a rag. Wear plastic gloves during application. Allow the wax to dry completely before touching your object. Metal waxes available at hardware and craft stores are usually in paste form; They give the metal an oxidized appearance, similar to what happens when heat is applied.

Leave your metal in a place where it will be exposed to fresh air and elements such as heat, humidity, and pollution. Over time, this exposure can oxidize your metal and create a patina on its surface, typically a greenish-brown color. This method works best on metals such as bronze, copper, and tin.

Apply patina product to the surface of your metal with a brush to artificially speed up the oxidation process. Allow the oxidation process to set in, usually within a few hours. Allow the metal to dry completely before handling.

Shiny new buttons can give your costume, jewelry, or craft project the wrong look. For example, if you are creating a piece of jewelry with a vintage look, too much shine on the buttons will reveal the true age of the piece. On a costume, distressed buttons add a touch of authenticity to distressed clothing. To create a scrapbook page with an antique look, limit the sheen of the buttons to enhance the overall look of the craft. Buttons are distressed differently depending on the material they are made of. Many of the distressing techniques require items you may already have in your home.

Metal decorative items or metal outdoor furniture need one of two types of paint if you want to give them new life, cover rust stains or change their color. You can use either a water-based acrylic paint or an oil-based paint as long as the container says “for metal” somewhere on the label.

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Oil paints take much longer to dry and they need a good quality brush that won’t flake when applied. Acrylic metal paints are available for application with paint or in aerosol cans, which can significantly reduce painting time. As with any metal painting project, proper preparation makes the difference between a quality finish and the resistance of the newly painted item to aging and weathering, especially when the metal is used outdoors.

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The right preparation

As long as you do the proper prep work, you can even get away with a paint that doesn’t specifically say it’s for metal as long as it’s acrylic paint. Whether the metal you are going to paint is iron, aluminum, or has a galvanized finish, you must remove all rust before painting. If you don’t remove the rust, the paint won’t stick. Aluminum and galvanized metals also require some scratching of the surface to allow primer and paint to adhere. Wash newly purchased galvanized items in soapy water to remove the film of oil. If the oil layer on the metal has oxidized, use a wire brush or sandpaper to remove the residue.

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Metal Primer Preparation

First apply a combination wire brush and scraper to the metal to remove any loose paint and rust or to scrape the surface of aluminum or galvanized metal.

After removing loose paint, first use a random orbital sander with 60 grit sandpaper and work up to 100 grit sandpaper for a smooth finish.

Wipe the metal clean with a damp cloth or sponge to remove any rust residue and paint dust and check for any remaining rust.

Repeat as needed to remove all rust before priming.

Allow the metal primer to dry for the time indicated on the label.

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Tip After the metal is dry, immediately coat it with the metal primer to prevent flash rust from appearing.

painting the metal

One of the easiest ways to paint metal – after completing the necessary prep work – is to use a metal spray can. You can buy paint products that also help protect against rust, or offer a primer and paint in one application.

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Shake the can thoroughly to mix the paint inside.

Keep the can 20-25 cm away from the object, keep it moving and make horizontal or vertical movements to avoid dripping.

Use several thin coats with recommended drying time between each coat of paint to get better coverage than one thick coat which can bleed.

Free personalized metal finishing help!

How to antique or blacken gold rings and jewelry

—–

Q. Can someone tell me what Blackened Gold is and how to do it?

John L

[Last name deleted by editors for privacy reasons]

– Boston, Massachusetts

^

Answer: Hello, Jack. “Blackened gold” would be gold that has had its surface blackened in some way. But as a warning, if you have an order to deliver “blackened gold” and you and your client don’t know exactly what that means, the only people who will be happy are the lawyers, who will both bill you on the hour , in which the customer refuses to pay you 🙂

You need agreed samples before contracts are formed. But read on for some other people’s explanations of what blackened gold means and how they do it. Much luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.

Striving to live Aloha

Finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey

^

Blackening gold jewelry with paint or black nickel plating

Q. Hello, although I assumed the problem I am having was solved a long time ago, it has been a huge struggle for me to find the solution. I need to add a black finish to selected areas of gold jewelry. The problem is that this finish has to be jet black and as thin as possible. I tried automotive paint (Endura) and black nickel plating but as the areas are small (20x20mm) it proved very difficult to apply paint evenly and I found the color of the nickel was not dark enough . I am not in the finishing industry and have found it very frustrating to find people experienced with this type of problem. Many Thanks,

Robert vanMil

– Toronto, Ontario, Canada

^

A. Hello, use Duco black paint and Duco thinner. Mix it properly and then soak the gilded pieces. Just hold on a minute. Remove with a cloth; this is called “black antique gold”. Screenivas.V

– Hyderabad, A.P., India

^

Eco-friendly antiquing of gold

— This entry was appended to this thread by the editor instead of creating a duplicate thread

Q. Does anyone have any information on an eco/friendly solution to antique and/or blackened gold for an antique look? Would like to relieve and polish the gold after antiquing.

Bill Christiansen

^

A. Bill, Since gold is very inert to oxidation, the only method I know of is to plate a thin layer of black nickel or “Electroblack”, a product of Enequist (of NY), and then strip the paint. Hope that helps.

Bob Lynch

Coating Company – Sydney, Australia

^

F Bob:

Thanks for the answer. We used to use Electroblack but removed it from our facility because of the hazardous chemicals. The latest Gesswein catalog features a product called “Oxaul Salt” which is said to blacken gold.

Has anyone out there tried it? Is it safe to use? What about disposal? Thanks for your help.

Bill Christiansen

^

Q. We are a manufacturer of class rings. We use the Enequist Electroblack in our gold rings. Suddenly it began to peel off the finished (already blackened) rings. After blackening, we polish the high reliefs with polishing paste and wash in alkaline ultrasonic solution, after cleaning, polish and wash again, then air dry. After polishing, the blackening comes off.

Raul Mendez

Manager – Panama

^

A. This is a proprietary product that comes with technical support – this is one of the main reasons for using a more expensive proprietary product over a home brew. Please let the supplier know you are having a problem – I am confident they will help you resolve it. Much luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.

Striving to live Aloha

Finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey

^

General technique for blackening gold

Q. I want to antique a gold plated part. Any suggestions on the right technique or chemical?

Robert Baxter

Buyer—Chester, New York

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A. Hi Robert. I don’t have a great deal of aesthetic sense when it comes to techniques, but I do know that a key to natural looking aesthetics and durability is that you only want the pits to be dark, not the high spots. This can be done by chemically darkening the entire article and then de-stressing (buffing off the darkening of the high spots). Some answers are above, others below, but one approach is to selectively silver some areas and blacken the silver or – perhaps better – plate the object with a low karat gold which, due to its high grade, can easily be chemically blackened copper content. (High purity gold is very inert, so it is difficult to chemically blacken). Much luck. If you instead apply a plating of a dark metal such as black nickel, it may be more practical to mask the areas you don’t want to darken than to buff the black nickel plating off of the gold plating. Much luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.

Striving to live Aloha

Finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey

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Liver Sulfur doesn’t work

Q Hello,

I’m trying to redo the celtic knot design on my gold wedding band. Can any of you give tips? I tried “liver of sulphur” liver of sulfur [affil. Link to info/product on Amazon] but the rose gold ring didn’t have enough copper to even blacken. Now it has been suggested that I try Jax Silver/Gold Blackener but I have to buy a whole pint! Any suggestions are welcome, particularly as to what tool to use for application (dip, plastic bristle brush, etc.). Thanks for all answers!

PS – I had the ring blackened by a jeweler but the blackener wore off within 2 weeks. It was also this person who set the stone in the ring, removing the original blackening in the process. Now it looks the same as after setting the stone. 🙁

Coleen Harman

– Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

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Griffith brand borax

affiliate link

(Your purchases make Finishing.com possible)

A. Try using a 10 percent borax solution with a few drops of alcohol. I hope it will solve your problem. Use the solution with a cotton swab. Riaz Haider

– Lahore, Pakistan

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A. I use iodine like you buy for cuts to blacken gold. John Legere

-Lake Worth, Fla

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antique white gold

— This entry was appended to this thread by the editor instead of creating a duplicate thread

Q. I have an 18k white gold ring with an engraved wheat pattern and tiny pearls around the edges. It’s too shiny for me and I’d like to make it matte. Is this possible without damaging the ring’s integrity? The diamond was not set. Many Thanks!!

Angela Hudson

-Seattle, Washington USA

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A Hello Angela. If the ring is rhodium plated, that will likely need to be polished off first. Then if the white gold is still too shiny it can probably be darkened/antiqued using the techniques detailed on this page. Much luck. Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.

Striving to live Aloha

Finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey

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Q. Hi everyone, I bought an Italian antique lantern a few years ago. In its original state it was made of nickel-plated bronze and was very heavy. Imagine a sphere about 7 inches in diameter, with two connecting “wings” pointing up and two long chains connecting the wings with a dome. It is now electrically wired. The original flame-shaped frosted globe was stolen from me by an antique shop in Alexandria, so now I have to spend money to have a custom globe made. I took it to the lighting type to patina it for me.

I wanted a warmer color so I took it to my gilder. She said it would cost a fortune to gild it, so she would gild it first and then patina it.

Unfortunately they closed their shop and could only finish projects submitted before mine. So now I’m stuck with a 24k plated light fixture that looks awful – this light fixture should be way toned down.

Actually I should have researched more as only parts of it should have been gold, the other should have been the traditional brown/black bronze.

I considered taking it apart and painting certain parts and leaving smaller areas in gold.

The questions are:

What kind of primer and what kind of paint is best to use? I’ve used flat spray and then buffed it or used paste wax for a nice shine, at least on wood, and it came out beautifully.

What should I use to patina the remaining gold that doesn’t rub off?

Should I paint the entire fixture and rub with 400 grit wet/dry extra fine sandpaper until the desired effect is achieved?

Sprayed or brushed? I like spraying the best. I am good at painting and have repainted many furnishings and other items.

Should I take it back to the coating shop and ask their advice?

Would this answer from Ted Mooney apply to my situation?

“Some answers are at the top, some below, but one approach is to selectively silver some areas and blacken the silver or – perhaps better – plate the object with a low karat gold that is easily chemically blackened due to the higher.” Copper content (high purity gold is very inert, so it’s difficult to chemically blacken it.) If you instead apply a plating of a dark metal like black nickel, it may be more practical to mask the areas you don’t want to blacken than the Polish off the black nickel plating from the gold plating. Much luck.”

I have pictures. Thanks in advance!

Ronald Dean

– Washington, D.C

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