Jump to content

Cleaning copper habaki


Mark S.

Recommended Posts

I posted this habaki in the cat scratch thread. I love the patina of the old copper but it appears it is also quite dirty especially in the deeper crevices.  I do not want shiny!  Should I leave it be (does the ‘dark’ add character?) or can soap and a very soft brush (maybe a paint brush?) get rid of the dirt and leave the ‘been there’ patina?  Any other ways to clean up copper but not too much?

thanks

 

38077B78-1812-4911-9D98-F1BC6D7515AF.jpeg

61E9B2A4-8E7B-49DF-8B94-D7EC9FA2D16B.jpeg

79EC9BE5-E944-405E-BBCC-2C8DA49DF59D.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, of course Ford would be the best source for this information, but I’ll tell how I do it. It of course depends on what the grudge is composed of, and it’s probably a mixture of oils and proteins. Patinas are ruined by low pH, abrasion, or heat, so stay away from most inorganic chemicals. Basic grunge should be removed by simple detergents at low concentrations but full strength shouldn’t hurt. For organic oils, start with alcohol or acetone as the more water-soluble and move in to ethane, or turpentine for fattier oils. Proteins can be removed with papain used to tenderize meat, but be careful to read all the ingredients or buy pure papain. The deep crevasses in your habaki may require use of a soft toothbrush, but go slowly and softly and rinse and evaluate frequently. Brushing is most likely to erode the patina on the upper edges so vertical rotation of the bristles is safer than horizontal brushing. You might try all these techniques on the inside first. These chemicals can all be used on patinated menuki to remove old pitch from their interiors.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before:

 

E93CEAE8-9B2F-4624-8276-E5544D5C403E.jpeg.2792e89299356fd3702ddcd4f5d4b415.jpeg

 

After: a soak in mild detergent, wash with microfiber cloth, some light scrubbing with very tiny modeling swabs, a little work with wood toothpicks, and rubbing with the 99% alcohol and the tiny swabs, I think it came out ok.  I really tried not to overdo and figured any dirt remaining needs to be there.  

 

DD111CE0-B6E8-4E51-AA3F-A64AAEB6775E.thumb.jpeg.350d7777a5b88aac7b80fb28e6d5068e.jpeg

  • Like 2
  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one, unless your post is really relevant and adds to the topic..

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...