Bronze Watch Experiment #1: Gun Bluing Paste

Saigoat

1 year ago

I bought an inexpensive Chinese CuSn8 bronze watch for patina experimentation. Who cares if something goes wrong? Not me.

This watch has a sterile dial, but is sold as a Tandorio. However, many other Chinese bronze watches are virtually identical and you could also buy the parts to build one.

My first patina is shown here, and more or less "Rustic Steampunk Vintage Muddy." I used gun bluing paste and dabbed the watch with a cotton swab. Gun bluing works very fast and produces a conventional dark brown bronze finish. CuSn8 bronze easily becomes brown, green, or red -- and is not intended to stay yellow. This bluing compound would produce an even dark brown surface with a couple more applications. But, even finishes are boring when playing with patinas.

The gun blue method creates a thin but smooth finish that leaves the edges crisp. After washing in cold water and wiping it down 24 hours later, the final product doesn't smell or rub off any more than a dark penny (CuSn8 bronze is 92% copper and 8% tin).

I'll definitely swap out the faux suede compressed-cow-sausage "genuine leather" strap.

#bronze #diy #patina #chinese #watchmaking