Do not use lemon juice and salt (except on salads) as the acidity will
dissolve the bronze slightly destroying any original patina.  Worse the
salts will not fully rinse off of the surface and instead will commence the
dreaded "Bronze Disease" (chloride corrosion) which is self-perpetuating.

If you are finding that hardware is discoloring after paint removal check
your remover.  Bronze is not stable in highly alkaline solutions.  Many
commercial strippers, Rock Miracle for example, are very high pH.  Try using
a pH neutral stripper to avoid damaging the patina.  Do not use salts under
any circumstance.  I think you will find that 6 months later the hardware is
heavily discolored even under the lacquer.
-----Original Message-----
From: JRhodes <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask]>
Date: Monday, August 09, 1999 2:40 PM
Subject: Patination, hold the mayo!


>I have done some reading on patination (there's a great British book on the
>subject-I don't have the title here.) for copper, bronze and brass.  I also
>have CDA data and other references, but none adequately address the
>practicalities of field application on broad surfaces of new (red) or
>slightly aged (brown) copper.
>
>I found a product just now being introduced in this country called "Nordic
>Green", and worked with John Lee, conservator extordinaire in Annapolis,
>Maryland.  He figured out what's in it and how to apply it so that it
>doesn't just weaken the established patina (if any) nor behave like a
>fragile coat of paint.  But he did come away convinced that it can both
>mask the raw material to look very much like patinated green copper while
>allowing the natural patination process to advance, actually encouraging
>the process.  The manufacturer doesn't know the tricks John knows.  Nor
>have John's findings been verified over time.
>
>One crucial point is to apply it thinly (like John Mascaro's whitwash
>advise: "If you try to do a thick one coat application, the material drys,
>cracks and peels").  The temptation is to really lay it on because it looks
>better.  Don't.
>
>And while you're mixing up dressings...try a lemonjuice (RealLemon brand
>will do) and salt mixture on badly mottled pieces of cast brass or bronze
>(like after you stripped off the paint splatters and it still looks
>bad...it'll quickly strip it down to a rosy red base so you can start all
>over again.  (This is not conservation tested, just my home brew.)  --Rev.
>Jim
>