Removing copper overtones from bronze?
Is there a burnishing compound that will remove copper overtones from soldered bronze in a tumbler? I end up spending hours polishing bronze to remove the copper that arises after soldering an I am hopeful that a strong burnishing compound could help.
Stacy's Answer:
Heating bronze and brass produces a layer of copper oxides on it's surface. Once you are finished with the heat, to easily remove the pink residue, soak the piece in a solution of 3 parts white vinegar to 2 parts hydrogen peroxide. The solution turns blue as it works and the metal will develope tiny bubbles on it. This process takes about 15 minutes or so, but works like a charm to restore the metal to it's original bright yellow color!
Make sure that you pickle the item first to remove torch residue as the vinegar/peroxide solution will not do that. Also, a word of caution... do not leave the metal in the solution for hours as the mixture will damage it! Rinse with clean water after removing your metal items once the pink color is gone. The solution opens up the pores of the metal, so-to-speak, so follow up by either polishing on the buffing wheel or tumbling.
The solution is safe to dispose of down your sink, nor do you need to wear any protective gloves, etc. while handling it.
