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Question regarding copper paint on copper

I bought a huge copper pot at a flea market yesterday. The guy who sold it told me it is 90 years old. When I got it home and cleaned it up, using tips I got from your forum, I found that it is actually copper paint. The paint job is quite bad, with brush stokes and paint drips galore, but it seems to be real copper paint, if there is such a thing. The paint looks pretty old, and there are a couple of places where it has chipped away to reveal a black surface. I scrubbed at this black spot and I believe that it is copper. I used vinegar ⇦in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and baking soda [in bulk on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and I can see a bit of a copper shine. Is there a safe way to remove the copper paint and reveal the copper underneath. Is it possible to clean up something this old, and bring it back to a thing of beauty or should I just leave the paint alone?

Crystal Rants
hobbyist - Hanau, Hessen, Germany
2005

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2005

Certainly it is possible to formulate a copper paint, so that's what it could be. But there doesn't seem to be a real good reason to put copper paint on something that is already solid copper, so I don't think I'd trust my first impression without spending some time trying to prove it.

My GUESS would probably therefore be that it was copper plated steel and was discolored and rusted in spots, so he painted it copper color. So if you got the copper paint off (which can probably be done with fine 00 steel wool ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and some kind of solvent like paint thinner), you might find a rusty finish that is only partially covered with attractive copper plating.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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If it's solid copper, it won't attract a magnet. If it's steel, it will.

Bill Reynolds [deceased]
consultant metallurgist - Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
We sadly relate the news that Bill passed away on Jan. 29, 2010.
2005

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September 3, 2009

If there is solid copper under the paint you could use mix of salt & lime juice to get back the shine of copper pot.

I also know of a powder that I bought in India which is very good works in seconds and very ease to use on copper.

The name of the powder is "Pitambari".

Hope this helps.

Meeta Allen
- Windsor, Ontario, Canada