Here’s how to patina brass charms using salt and vinegar…

I’ve already shown you how to turn copper green using salt and vinegar, and the same process can be used on brass! Brass has a high copper content, so it can develop a nice patina when you put it in a container with salt and vinegar, simple ingredients that you can find easily at the supermarket. This is a fun way to add some character and interesting patterns to your metal jewelry designs! Please note that this tutorial contains affiliate links.

You’ll need these tools and materials to do this patina process:

1: Brass charms. I used these brass charms that I made a while ago.

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2: A plastic container. I used a recycled takeaway container with a lid.

3: Paper towels. I haven’t tried it with reusable cloth, but I bet that would work too!

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4: Salt.

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5: Vinegar. I used white vinegar for this process.

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Follow these steps to add patina to your brass charms:

1: Put the paper towel in the container.

2: Add a dash of vinegar to the paper towel.

3: Sprinkle some salt over the top.

4: Put the charms in the container and put the lid on. Set this container aside for a while, maybe overnight, to allow the patina to develop.

5: Once the charms have a patina you like, take them out of the container and wipe them down gently using more paper towel.

Isn’t it interesting to see how the patina will develop?! this one formed a lot around the grains of salt. Now you can use them in your jewelry designs! Please note that the patina can be delicate, so you can protect it using a product like renaissance wax.