docliss Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Dear Ford You are always so generous in your readiness top provide answers to members’ ‘professional’ questions, that I feel encouraged to seek your advice regarding the repatination of sentoku. I have in my collection several sentoku tsuba which, as a result of previous abuse, have lost their patination and are now an unattractive, matt yellow colour. Several years ago I degreased them, using ordinary soap and water, and left them in the vain hope that they would acquire a patina naturally. This has failed completely, and I wonder if you can advise me of the options available to me to encourage their repatination. With grateful thanks, John L. Quote
Ford Hallam Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Hello John, Sentoku when well patinated is indeed one of the loveliest colours in the traditional pallete. Unfortunately, as you've discovered, it is also a very fragile patina and one that is easily worn off through excessive handling. The really deep ochre/golden tones that I imagine you'd like to see only develop when the traditional process is followed. This is essentially immersion in the mild aqueous solution of copper sulphate and rokusho. If you would like to try it yourself I could do a detailed tutorial sometime soon, I ought to have that on my forum anyway, and I could send you a mini starter packet of the chemicals. You'll need some daikon and a small copper pot, one with no lead solder on it. The real secret, if you could call it that, to getting a decent repatination, is the preparation. Not just the actual mechanical cleaning of the metal but also the type of finish. You really don't want it looking like glass. I'm reluctant to reveal too many of those sorts of techniques so publicly because we don't know who's watching and to what ends they might put this sort of information. If you do want to try I'm happy to offer what help I can via email or skype. As to alternatives, I don't really believe there are any that are going to be all that convincing. Avoid the use of any sulphur based solutions. I have had no personal experience with proprietary patinating solutions but I have seen lots of very ugly botch jobs so I'd advise against anything other than the original methods. I'm sorry I can't offer any easy, or kitchen fixes. regards, Ford Quote
docliss Posted June 23, 2008 Author Report Posted June 23, 2008 Dear Ford Thank you for your prompt and courteous reply to my query but, without wishing to appear ‘chicken’, I am rather hesitant to embark upon the rather involved, copper suphate/rokusho routine that you describe. Would you, I wonder, undertake such a renovation professionally and, if so, what sort of expense are we talking about? Regards, John L. E-mail: docliss@jerseymail.co.uk Quote
Ford Hallam Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Hi John, I'll pm you about the tsuba but if you fancy a wine tasting holiday in the Cape you could drop them off and I'll do you a favour.. ...show you how to do it yourself. regards, Ford Quote
remzy Posted July 8, 2008 Report Posted July 8, 2008 Greetings, I too, would like to learn how to proprely patinate iron tsubas in a traditional way. Of course it would be to use on modern made tsubas. Remy Quote
Brian Posted July 8, 2008 Report Posted July 8, 2008 Check out Ford's forum (Following the Iron Brush - Links page) as I think there is some good discussion on the subject of patinating iron. Good luck, and keep it modern Brian Quote
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