Popular Woodworking – October 2019

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Working Reclaimed Wood

Hardcover • 160 pages • $27.99

Working Reclaimed Wood guides you

through the entire process of finding

reclaimed wood with case studies,

projects and makers' stories.

Available from Popular Woodworking

Books wherever fine books are sold.

unit of citric acid in 10 volume units
of water, which gives an approximate
pH level higher than 20% vinegar,
around pH 1.5. And if we mixed citric
acid in less water we could create an
even more potent acidic solution.

Re-patination of
Restored Hardware
Newly restored brass and bronze
hardware will begin to oxidize with-
in days. Many love to see this slow
and natural transformation as the
metal succumbs to nature’s call. But
if you want to protect the shiny sur-
face, consider varnishing, lacquering
or applying wax on it.
If you want to bestow your re-
claimed hardware with the instant
look of an “antique” appearance or
even a very dark “ebonized” look,
consider using the gun blue family of
products. Once the fl uid is applied on
a grease-free and oil-free surface, it
turns the surface dark. The more you
apply the darker it becomes. Using
cotton Q-tips, (12) apply gun blue
on an oil-free brass or bronze surface
and wait until it stops darkening.

12

13

14

Once you like the new look, rinse the

piece in water (13) and lightly polish

with a cotton rag.

In photo 14 you can see three

diff erent surface treatments: dark

brown patina, patinated luster, and

polished. If you wish to achieve a

look of a patinated luster surface (not

too shiny, but not black), slightly

abrade the newly built gun blue layer

with fi ne steel wool (#0000) until

you reach the level of sheen you like.

Take into account that the gun blue

patina is thin and can be scratched or

even rubbed off easily. To preserve

its ebony look, apply a coat of wax,

varnish or lacquer it. PW

Yoav Liberman is a designer, wood-

worker and educator. He is passionate

about reusing discarded wood and found

objects. See more at yoavliberman.com.

12 Apply gun blue patina on an oil-free brass or bronze surface and wait until

it stops darkening.

13 Rinse the piece in water and lightly polish with a cotton rag.

14 There are three different surface treatments: brown patina (bottom left),

patinated luster (top and bottom middle), and polished (bottom right).