Patina...

[jbow]

Is there a way to restore patina on a piece of lead? I know I could bury it for 150 years but I don't want to wait that long. I have two pieces that need a little restoration, both are carved bullets. One is carved into a hat with a brim and the other is carved into a button. I hit the hat slightly with my digger and the button was so dirty that a little patina came off with some of the dirt... both are still veryu cool pieces and just came out of the ground in the last week. I will take and post some pics this weekend. Together, me and a friend have taken the teo carved bullets and 16 other minnies out of the site in about 4 hours, along with a couple of buckles, (not plates), horseshoes and other cool stuff. Today he found an 1882 IH and Monday I found a 1923 Mercury and a V nickle that I have yet to clean enough to see the date.

Anyway... about the patina??

Julien

 

[Va Dave]

I, being a house painter was thinking, some flat finish white paint, and after it dries well, grind a little dirt into it....might work ?

Dave

 

[grdavis]

I believe that ammonia placed in a container under the lead will produce an accelerated patina. The vapor interacting with the lead in a small confined space should work. This is a soft patina though, there is nothing that will cause the hard calcerous patina that was developed over the years in the ground.

 

[Brandy{Ma.}]

n/t

 

[VaBill]

n/t

 

[Anonymous]

If it's a really nice carved piece, I would have it restored professionally. Value of relics is always condition. Sounds like some nice pieces. GH, David