Hi, my name is Marena and I am the creator and crafter of Fabled Silver.
I first learned about patina and liver of sulphur (further referred to as ‘LOS’) on Silver Diploma Course at London Jewellery School. Ever since then, I have not been able to exclude this technique from my jewellery making, as applying liver of sulphur to my jewellery pieces creates such an amazing contrast, that perfectly accentuates the deeper parts of the surface and is wonderfully eye-catching. It’s especially beautiful when combined with colourful gemstones.
I bought the trial sized liver of sulphur patina solution from Kernowcraft to try it out at home after finishing my diploma course.
I love that this formulation is non-toxic. Finding and holding onto different environmentally friendly alternatives in my jewellery making is extremely important to me. Just like using recycled silver, for example.
It is a chemical compound containing potassium sulphide and is used in metalworking to create antique-looking patinas on silver, copper, bronze, metal clays and, after a little surface preparation work, on brass and gold. It’s available in both liquid and solid state. It is bright yellow when diluted and has a strong smell that resembles rotten eggs.
You can create many colours with liver of sulphur. However, in this
I will show you two techniques, one of which will require you to fully immerse your jewellery piece into a hot, diluted liver of sulphur solution. The other will explain how to apply liver of sulphur with a brush. There are many ways to use liver of sulphur and this tutorial only shows my personal preference and techniques that seem to work best for me. I hope that at the end of this tutorial you will feel more confident in using liver of sulphur and will be inspired to experiment with different techniques, textures and finishes on your own creations!
The main thing though – safety first. So, ensure you’re always careful and suited up before starting this process.
Good luck and enjoy experimenting!
Disposable gloves – to protect your skin from smells (and your eyes if you suddenly forget you had some solution on your fingers and start rubbing your eyes – trust me, it stings!)
I have chosen to create a patina on one of my moonstone pendants and a ring I made previously with a clean finish but later realised it needed patina to bring out its texture.
This method is perfect for pieces that need to be covered with patina all over and have no gemstones.
1. Apply 10 drops of liver of sulphur into the hot water jar.
2. Mix the liver of sulphur into the water using plastic tweezers.
3. Carefully drop your piece into the mixture and leave for a few minutes.
4. While your metal piece is oxidising, put about a teaspoon’s worth of baking soda into the jar with cold water.
5. Stir well, using either the teaspoon or plastic tweezers until the baking soda has dissolved.
6. When a few minutes have passed and you feel satisfied with the colour of your piece, transfer it from the liver of sulphur mixture into the baking soda solution.
7. When a few minutes have passed and you feel satisfied with the colour of your piece, transfer it from the liver of sulphur mixture into the baking soda solution.
8. Swirl the piece around for a few seconds or leave it in for a minute. The baking soda reacts with the liver of sulphur and stops it from developing further.
9. Take the piece out of the baking soda mixture, rinse with soapy water and leave on a towel to dry.
10. Once the piece is dry, you can polish it to your desired standard. I always use my Dremel 4000 Multi tool with LUXI bars and have found them to do the job perfectly. I start with the blue bar together with a felt wheel, then wash off the residue with soapy water and a brush. Then do the same with a white bar and a leather wheel. However, a polishing cloth will suffice. Just ensure you don’t use anything abrasive, as it will make the finish look dull. And of course, you can now also set stones.
11. Once you have finished with the newly mixed liver of sulphur solution, you can close the jar with a lid, clearly mark it (so it’s not confused for orange juice) and leave it in a cool, dark place. It will remain active for a few days. However, it will become weaker. You will still be able to use it as long as it’s bright yellow, you’ll just need to heat up the metal piece before putting it into the solution next time.
This method is great for applying patina to certain spots of your jewellery or if you have already set a stone into your work and have later decided to add patina.
1. You will need a brush and the liver of sulphur solution to start with.
2. Apply a drop of the solution onto the brush.
3. Carefully apply the solution onto your piece with a brush, avoiding any set stones.
4. Ensure that you have covered all the desired parts of the piece and have applied the solution into all the crevices of the texture, as any missed areas will be very noticeable once it’s finished.
5. Once you’re happy with the liver of sulphur coverage, you will need to heat the piece slightly to accelerate the chemical process of the solution. You should be very careful with this step, as too much heat can melt the metal in your work or cause breaks and discoloration in the stone. To protect your hands from the jewellery becoming hot, place it into a third hand and use either a hand torch or a hair drier on the lowest setting. Remember, you must only warm up the solution, not boil it.
6. After heating the jewellery piece, leave it to cool by itself, still in the third hand. It shouldn’t take too long, as the metal from the third hand will absorb most of the heat from your jewellery. Whilst you’re waiting for it to cool, prepare the liver of sulphur neutralising solution by mixing about a teaspoon’s worth of baking soda into the jar with cold water.
7. Stir well, using either the teaspoon or plastic tweezers until the baking soda has dissolved.
8. When the jewellery piece is cool to touch, take it out of the third hand and place it into the baking soda solution.
9. Swirl the piece around for a few seconds or leave it in for a minute. The baking soda reacts with the liver of sulphur and stops it from developing further.
10. Take the piece out of the baking soda mixture, rinse with soapy water and leave on a towel to dry.
11. Once the piece is dry, you can polish it to your desired standard. I always use my Dremel 4000 Multi tool with LUXI bars and have found them to do the job perfectly. I start with the blue bar together with a felt wheel, then wash off the residue with soapy water and a brush. Then do the same with a white bar and a leather wheel. However, a polishing cloth will suffice. Just ensure you don’t use anything abrasive, as it will make the finish look dull. And of course, you can now also set stones.
12. The finished result.
If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with our friendly team who will be more than happy to give you advice over email or on the phone.
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