1st, make sure it isn't sealed. If it is, that coating will need to be removed. After that, all kinds of things will color it brown/black: hot baking soda and water solution, wine, soft water, coffee, I even hear urine works (although I wouldn't recommend it for obvious reasons). Buy a sheet of copper at a craft store and experiment a little to get the look you want.

Hi-
my question is kind of opposite- i have a hammered copper table from mexico- the patina is very dark and i would like to lighten it a bit- is there any way to do this? if you are familiar with the mexican copper tables, they are mostly dark- id like to brighten it a bit.
any ideas?

thanks

You can turn copper black by using Liver of Sulphur. Do a Google search and you can find places to purchase.

Dissolve it in hot water and then apply to the copper. For best results you'll want the copper to be clean.

For the other question as to how to lighten the copper finish on the Mexican table, without seeing the table my first thought would be to use some steel wool to remove some of the darkness or oxidation.

If the table is not sealed, with a clear coating, you can also use a mild acid and remove all the oxidation. This will leave the copper with a pink color. From here it is easy to wire brush or use steel wool to bring it to a finish like the bottom of a Revereware pan.

George Goehl

Here is a link that might be useful: Metal Sculpture Instructional Videos

Thanks so much for responding- ive left the same question in many forums! the table does have a sealer on it(they did it in the factory in mexico) How would i remove it and proceed from there- what kind of acid would i need? If you are familiar with the hammered tables from mexico- they all seem to have that dark patina with lots of black in it. after i use the acid,do i use a fine steel wool all over to make it look more copper than black? any detailed information is greatly appreciated!
thanks again
Lydia

You can find Liver of Sulphur at a lapidary store (Jeweller's supply). It works well, but black is difficult to keep on the surface, it tends to flake off. The light to medium dark browns work great. I typically use a scotch brite pad while apply to the surface of the copper, using circular motions for blending. After I have applied the solution, I go back over the surface lightly with the scotch brite pad to even out the finish. I recommend this method for larger pieces. It is difficult to submerse larger pieces.

You can also try aftermarket patina solutions like JAX.

Mexican Table-

The sealer may be a lacquer or polyurethane, stay away from the acids and try a solvent for removing these types of coatings. Lacquer thinner will work on the copper, you might try paint thinner etc. for a polyurethane coating. I have not tried a paint remover, but it may be worth a shot.

After the coating is removed, I would suggest using a medium scotch brite pad on the surface. Acid will work as well, nitric acid mixed solution is what we sometimes use to etch the copper. Where protective gear and rinse well with water.

Here is a link that might be useful: Copper Range Hoods by Mountains Edge Copperart