Brilliant Bronze Follow-up – How to Finish Fired Metal Clay
Following my previous posting about the launching of Brilliant Bronze, I have been asked to post a photo of regular Quick-fire bronze next to Brilliant Bronze:
The long rock on the pendant is made from Brilliant Bronze; the rock on the left is made from regular Quick-fire bronze. When I looked at the photo, I noticed that the bronze rock looks a little bit like Rose Bronze. I then took another photo with Rose Bronze and copper:
From left to right: Copper, Rose Bronze, bronze, and Brilliant Bronze.
I have also been asked how to give Brilliant Bronze a mirror finish. In fact, I am often asked how to retrieve the color of pieces that just came out of the kiln. The first project in almost all my books describes the finishing process, but it seems to be often overlooked. I’ve long been meaning to consolidate all this material into a single article, and have it as a permanent link on my blog. So here it is. This document is linked in the right-hand pane of my blog, as “Finishing Fired Metal Clay.”
Even if you are familiar with the finishing process, I suggest that you read it through to refresh your memory. I have been teaching it ever since I started teaching silver clay in the year 2000, but sometimes we get to the finishing part at the end of the workshop, when people are tired and ready to go home. I also recommend it for anyone who intends to take a workshop with me in the future. It will give you a better idea of what to expect.
The tools required for using this process, and their sources, are listed in the document entitled “Personal Tool Kit,” which is also linked from the right-hand pane of my blog. This file has been updated to include tools required to achieve a mirror finish.
September 17th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
Thank you for blog on Finishing Fired Metal Clay. It was very helpful. I look forward to a future purchase of Brilliant Bronze.
missy
September 17th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
A little confused .. do you mean “does not” or “does get imediately” on page 6 last paragraph
When the patina
stays on the surface
and does get
immediately into
the piece, as shown
in the photo on the
left, it means that
you have done a
good sanding job
Sorry – former proof reader here! LOl
September 17th, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Barbara, Thanks for this. If the patine stays on the surface and does not get absorbed into the piece like it was a sponge, it means that you’ve done a good sanding job. I’ll correct it.
September 17th, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Hadar,
I want to make a wrap around ring out of the brilliant bronze. Is it possible to imbed a prefired bezel? Can it be silver? HAve you imbedded fireable stones in brilliant bronze? I’m so looking forward to your class in Tucson and working with these new metals. Mary
September 17th, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Mary, Firerable stones can be used with Brilliant Bronze just like with copper and bronze. If you want to embed a silver bezel cup you will have to press it all the way into the BB so the silver does not stick above the surface. That is due to the reaction between bronze and silver.
September 17th, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Thank you so much for this piece on finishing. It’s more clear than anything I’ve read on the subject.
September 17th, 2012 at 6:49 pm
Hadar your blog about finishing is just fabulous! Thank you! I’m ordering some polishing wheels today. I know this will help, all the sanding in the world hasn’t helped me get the finish I’m looking for.
September 18th, 2012 at 8:33 am
Thank you for this blog on how to finish a fired piece and for putting all this information together. I am learning so much from you both in class and from your writing. Practice, practice, practice. Love it.
November 20th, 2012 at 12:45 pm
Hi, thank you for this blog. What patina do you use for the brilliant bronze? The piece that looks like a cracked square with the yellow stone on the Metal clay supply website has a black patina in the cracks. I can’t find the info. thanks, Janice
November 20th, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Janice, It’s liver of sulfur. Works just like on silver.
December 30th, 2012 at 9:37 am
Hi Hadar, please let me know in which of your 3 books you explain how to make the rings, I wish I could buy all 3, but alas, I can’t right now, I have been playing with your clays, but they do not come with instructions and I have to find whatever I can on the web, and there are so many different temps out there for each that it gets confusing, 🙂 tks
December 30th, 2012 at 10:14 am
Maritza, On the right panel of my blog: http://www.hadarjacobson.com/blog, you can find a full instruction manual for my clay. The book with the rings is Metal Clay Practice.