One of the things I really love about wire wrapping is how you can change a piece so dramatically by applying a substance called Liver of Sulfur (LoS). This is a tarnishing agent that adds, in just a few minutes what it takes years to do.
Copper reacts with the water in the air to form a layer of copper oxide on the surface. This change is what makes the darker color appear and on some individuals the green color appear on the skin. Raw copper is 100% recyclable and it is estimated that about 80% of all the copper ever mined in is still in use today. Because of its ability to conduct electricity, copper is used as building materials in construction. The ancients used copper for scrolls and spell tablets. When I was a child my grandmother had a large copper bangle she wore for arthritis. I asked her, "What's that green on your arm." She replied, "That's where the magic goes in."
All these things and of course the sheer beauty of the metal is why I am drawn towards it. Here are a few pictures of a key I made recently, before and after the LoS has been applied.
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Raw Copper Key
Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson |
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Tarnished Copper Key
Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson |
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Raw Copper Dragon's Eye
Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson |
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Tarnished Copper Red Dragon's Eye
Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson |
Each piece has their own beauty, but I feel that the tarnished pieces reveal the intricacies of the wire wrap so much better.
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