How to Permanently Prevent Fingerprints from Showing up on Copper Jewelry?
by Roxanne Larsen.
How to Permanently Prevent Fingerprints from Showing up on Copper Jewelry? – featured on Jewelry Making Journal
Is there any way that I can avoid fingerprints from showing up on my copper jewelry – forever?
Thank you for your help!
You can place a layer of a special protective metal lacquer. I live in Spain, it is called Laca Zapon here and protects metal surfaces for quite some time once applied.
Roxanne, I don’t recommend lacquer because it will likely wear off (in places) and give your copper jewelry a spotty look — then you must remove the lacquer in order to re-do it. I suggest that you try (1) waxing and hand-buffing the copper (easy to patch or re-do) and/or (2) regularly rubbing the jewelry with a silver-polishing cloth (the cloth gets black and looks terrible, but it still works). All the best,Judy
A lot of my coin ring friends use ProtectaClear. For my copper rings I use a clear powder coat but that isn’t appropriate for chain or other interlocking designs. For a temporary solution, I use wax.
Roxanne first and formost make sure that you wash your hands with a soap that has no oils or lotions. Also make sure that you wash your pieces thoroughly upon completion with dawn dish soap and then rinse really well. It is generally the natural oil in our skin that causes the finger prints.
what is the powder coat that you use n how is it applied?
I’m a US citizen living in England. Can you tell me why everyone specifically says use Dawn? We don’t have that brand here so I’m wondering how I choose which one to use.
Dawn is a great dishwashing liquid that cuts grease. It’s usually blue, but I have seen it in clear.