How to apply Japanese red heat patina called Hido on copper

Posted by Kazuhiko Ichikawa on April 23, 2019 | 31 Comments

 

1. Prepare some borax solution

Mix 800cc water and borax until it comes up to the saturation point.

In this video I use the remain of the borax that I used last time and add some new one seeing the saturation.

They say 25% is good. Find your best density.

2. While you wait for the solution to boil up, polish your copper piece. 

Usually you can use a buffer but in this case I polish it by hand with kitchen detergent powder because I want to keep clear texture.

Of course the piece should be pickled clearnly previously.

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Making process of the commission work for M

Posted by Kazuhiko Ichikawa on April 08, 2019 | 4 Comments

 

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How to do Keum Boo in my method

Posted by Kazuhiko Ichikawa on April 04, 2019 | 9 Comments

FAQ;

Q: What is depletion gilding?

A: Deletion gilding is the method to eliminate copper from the suface of sterling silver.

Heat up the sterling silver with brushy flame and oxidize the copper on surface. Then cool it down slowly because it produses more oxidized copper.

Then pickle it to wash out the oxidized copper.

Rpeat this process several times until the sterling silver doesn't get balck under the flame anymore.

The video shows the process only once but I did it several times in fact.

 

Q: What kind of double sided tape do you use?

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How to do back setting with a support ring and rivets.

Posted by Kazuhiko Ichikawa on April 04, 2019 | 4 Comments

FAQ]

Q: What kind of pliers do yuo use?

A: They are parallel pliers. I added dimples on both sides by a round bur so that the head of the rivet will be rounded. 

 

Q: What are the rivets made of?

A: They are made of fine silver so that yo can crash them easily.

 

Q: What is the yellow agent?

A: It's LOS solution. I wanted to make rivets' heads black.

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