What's the lifespan of Jax green patina? I bought some several years back and tried it now and nothing happened. I don't see any info on how long it lasts? I thought only liver of sulfur goes bad over time. What about ferric chloride or ferric nitrate? Do they go bad over time as well?
I still use cupric nitrate I bought twenty years ago and mixed with water and stored in a bottle. I would expect ferric nitrate to be equally as stable. I don't use liver. I use Birchwood-Casey Brass Black. It is stable. (I get it from gun shops [Brownell]. You can get it from sculpture suppliers, sold as M-20 I think, probably at double the price.) Richard
I made and use about 20 litres of cupric chloride: it had to be oxygenated with either hydrogen peroxide or by bubbling air through it to get it to the right oxidation state for it to work, maybe something similar has occurred.
LOL ok I think I just figured out why it didn't react when I applied it. The stuff says it takes 24 hrs to develop a green patina. I was expecting it to be instant. I will check the bronze when I get home to verify. But that makes sense.
24hrs? interesting. The cupric nitrate I've seen applied turned green instantly. Does it smell like ammonia?
From the horses mouth: https://jaxchemical.com/shop/jax-green-patina/ "JAX products never expire, however, they can deteriorate over time if not cared for properly. Safety is the first priority. Always store JAX products at room temperature, in tightly closed original containers AND in a locked, safe place. Do not mix used product with fresh. Contaminating the original container will seriously reduce the shelf-life of the product."
I didn't bring it with me to CT. It smelled odd but I can't remember it well enough to describe. Good to know. It doesn't go bad
