I had mentioned some time ago the idea of using a blackener or browning chemical to color the copper or brass on a whistle.
The materials arrived yesterday and I tried them out on a whistle. The blackener flaked off immediately after drying. The browning chemical stayed in place but was not consistant enough in appearance.
One interesting thing was the rainbow like pattern left on the copper surface after the blackener flaked off. It would have made an interesting finish.
I’m going to look into powder coat finishes next to see how they look and how durable they are.
What finishes do you like on your instruments? There are so many choices with whistles.
I wonder what finishes are used on Elfsong Pennywhistles. They look wonderful (at least in the pictures). If you could put one of those finishes on one of your keyed instruments . . .that would be a whistle!
Daniel,
There is a place in Cincinnati called American Metal Cleaners (not too far from the intersection of 747 and I-275) that does a fantastic powder coat finish in several different colors and textures. If you are interested in them let me know and I’ll go out to the pickup and get their card so I can give you their address and phone number.
You could also give Peter Gobel from Goose Bay Workshops a call. He is a full time coppersmith and may be able to offer some suggestions. You will find his phone number in a copy of Early American Life or possibly Smoke and Fire News or Muzzleloader Magazine. Peter is a great guy, very knowledgeable, and always ready and willing to share information.
John
I used to service coating chambers in a clean room. One operator was a guitarist who cut aluminum pickguards for his guitars, then coated them with titanium. It gives a beautiful rainbow finish that changes as you move it. If you’ve ever seen ladies titanium earrings, you know what it looks like.
Gun stores sell gun “blueing.” It comes in browns, blues, blacks and can be wiped on with a cloth. I wonder if it will work on brass?
On 2002-08-14 15:01, Elkcreek wrote:
You had better give this idea some reconsideration. That green stuff that forms on copper is arsenic.
John
Not true.
Some early painter’s pigments using verdigris had arsenic compounds added into them, but it is NOT a natural component of the verdigris.
Still, I wouldn’t do this on the fipple of an all-copper whistle. Oxidized elements being much easier to absorb than non-oxidized. And no large amount of metal in your system is good for you.
You would also have to seal it over quite well, since like any other oxidized finish, continued exposure to the elements, and contact with other objects (your fingers) will change or remove the finish.
The browning chemical didn’t really turn brown. If turned out a brown and green swirl like effect. Not what I was expecting but it will make for a very uniquely colored whistle. I’ll have photos shortly.
