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Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
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for Metal Finishing since 1989
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HOW TO DO "ACID WASH" ON BRASS JEWELRY
Q. I am going to start a business of brass jewelry (imitation jewelry) I don't how to do acid wash, when item is finished. I know that Nitric acid and some other liquids will do the job. Please let me the composition of Nitric acid and other materials to do the job.
I request a detailed explanation as I don't have any knowledge in this matter.
- Andhra Pradesh, India
November 29, 2009
A. Mr Rao,
We could give you a formulation for a bright dip, or "acid wash" but there are certain considerations. The most important is the alloy of the brass. The dip has to be stable, and acids compatible with the given alloys.
Fellow Plater - Syracuse, New York, USA
December 3, 2009
A. I don't know what is normally used by everyone else, but a citric acid solution of around 4 wt% tends to do a good job at brightening brass/bronze/copper.
Ray Kremer
Stellar Solutions, Inc.
McHenry, Illinois
December 7, 2009
Q. Dear Mark Baker,
Please advice me the formulation. Copper is approximately 83 parts and Zn is 16 parts and Tin is 1 part.
I could not understand what is dip and acid wash. Generally our people dip the jewelry into acid and put it water and then doing buffing.
I request you please advise me such formulation.
Thank You.
metal works - AP, India
December 11, 2009
A. Mr Rao,
I thought Ray Kremer gave good advice with the citric acid dip, and should do fine with the alloy you have. Acid wash and acid dip would mean the same thing here. Anytime you can use chemical makeups other than hazardous concentrated acids, you're ahead of the game.
Fellow Plater - Syracuse, New York, USA
December 29, 2009
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