How I get a Great Black Finish on My Leaded Stained Glass Panels

Students of my teacher have ask me how I get the lead came and the zinc came border around my leaded stained glass panels so evenly dark. There is no trick. Just time and a little elbow grease. The steps I use to get my best results are as follows:

• Step #1: Prepare the metal for the chemicals in the patina.

Any metal we work with in creating stained glass pieces whether it’s zinc, lead, copper, or brass, will start to tarnish or discolor due to the oxygen in the air. This is why, the longer the metal is exposed to air the more discolored it becomes. Just like your mother’s silverware. I use “0000” steel wool pads to clean and shine the metal. This is the most important step of this procedure. The more care and time you spend on this step the better your results will be. Buff the surface once, twice, and three times to get the surface as clean and shiny as you can get it. This will also remove any loose solder that is stuck to the lead came. It’s all in the prep.

• Step #2: Clean your Piece

First I use a vacuum cleaner to remove the small pieces of steel wool that will be left on the piece. Then I give it a good cool bath with soap (I use Dawn) and a soft brush to remove any left-over pieces of steel wool. This bath will also remove any dirt, oil, grease, or flux that might be left on the metal. The cleaner the metal, the better the chemicals in the patina will work. I always use the cold water tap on the facet when I’m working in any of the patina steps. The heat from using hot water can affect the chemical reaction that takes place between the chemicals and metals. The last thing is to dry your piece. Let it set for a while to make sure it’s dry.

• Step #3:  Apply your Patina

When handling your piece do not touch it with your bare hands. Your hands have oil from your skin. I spread newspaper on my bench to work on. This keeps the piece off the table and will soak up any excess patina. I like to use an acid brush to apply the patina. (I use Novacan Black Patina for Solder/Lead). I use the cap to dip out of to apply the patina and make sure all the surfaces are covered. I don’t dip out of the bottle to keep from contaminating the chemicals in the bottle. You should see the metal turning black with an even cover. Go back and reapply to areas that are not totally black. After you have covered all areas you want black, let it sit for a minute or two. Don’t let the chemicals completely dry. Give the piece another bath, again in cold water. You can use the soft brush and soap to remove all of the chemical residue from the metal and glass. Dry the piece with a soft towel. You should end up with an even dull black finish on the lead and zinc. If you have any uneven coverage or shinny spots, then start over from step one. If the chemical did not react in spots it means the metal was no clean enough. If you like what you see than move to step four.

• Step #4: Apply Wax

The final step is to apply a coat of good car wax to the metal and glass. Allow the wax to dry thoroughly to a powdery haze. Polish with a soft, dry terry cloth or microfiber towel. This will turn the dull black finish on the metal to a shiny black. It will also get rid of any water spots on the glass and give a good finish to protective your piece from oxidation and weather. (I use Mothers California Gold Carnauba Cleaner Wax) Any brand that is made with carnauba wax will work well. Now you are finished and have a great looking piece that you can be proud of.

These are the steps I go through to obtain the best results I can get. The products I use have given me good results time after time. If this process doesn’t work for you ,you might check your patina and make sure it is still at full strength. If you have any questions, please ask. You can find my contact information in this website. Have a great day and keep working at it.

I hope this post is useful to you. Please write your comments. Thanks for visiting my website.

Have a great day! Bill Olexa

Stained Glass Designed

There is nothing to show here!

Slider with alias demo1 not found.