diydivas.myfastforum.org

Joined: 21 Feb 2007 Posts: 2 Location: Minnesota

Hey Jewelry Divas,
I was wondering if any of you out there know a really good way to oxidize sterling silver items? Like chains, earwires, wire, and stuff like that. Any advise would be very helpful. Thanks

Joined: 21 Feb 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Frisco, Texas

I was told recently to oxidize silver or brass you could put it in an airtight container with a banana...the gasses from the banana will oxidize it. I have never tried this and it is hearsay, but I would love to know if it works...might be worth a try if you are really trying to find a way.

Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:03 am

I once fingured out how some of the Etsy sellers oxidized their raw brass...it might work for sterling silver?! If you boil it to remove any substances on the surface and then dry it and stick it in an airtight container with a capfull of ammonia it darkens brass (oxidizes it) and makes it appear to be antique. The crappy thing about this technique is that some etsy seller try to pass it off as REAL antique brass (no names). SO wrong! real antique brass doesn't oxidize that evenly!

Well, try it out on the sterling and let me know. Oh, I almost forgot, the process takes about a day but you want to keep your eye on it and check it every couple of hours so that it doesn't get too oxidized! If you leave brass in there too long it turns this really odd bluish green color <3

Good luck!

Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Posts: 4

There is a chemical called "Liver of Sulfur" (yuck!) This is what professionals use and it is the easiest way that I know of.
Hope this helps.
Debby