Plucking an example purely at random, let’s say a copper plated headtube badge. If I don’t treat it any differently to the rest of the bike (infrequent washing of anything other than drivetrain) will it go green or brown?
I’m guessing if I keep rubbing my dirty paws over it, it’ll go brown, but if I leave alone so it’s just exposed to air and water (and UK slop and grime, obvs.) it’ll go green.
What do you reckon?
Most likely "statue of liberty" green. But be careful of:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanic_corrosion
Green oxidation is actually really hard to achieve - all copper stuff I've seen on bikes has ended up more of a mottled brown colour. Not unpleasant, but certainly not Statue of Liberty colour.
polish and lacquer?
i was expecting a nice fit young lady in a uniform on a bike...!
I'll be off now then.
Don't forget you'd also get black/brown/green streaks running down the headtube form the badge as it weathered as well.
To be honest, I'd be just as happy with either. I'm speaking to Geoff Moorhouse about designing a badge. I started off assuming it would go brown, then thought "Hold on, what if it goes green? The rest of the bike's going to be a painted a [i]different[/i] green. Where's the contrast? Should I reverse the design?" etc etc.
I think I'll just go with it and see what happens. Might be quite interesting to see how it progresses.
That's a pretty low level of interest, spread thinly and sporadically over several years, in case you're worried about how much I've got going on in my life. - It's a step up, though, isn't it: "That's about as interesting as watching copper oxidise."
bb - think I'd prefer dark brown to bright copper. Or at least bright copper slowly darkening.
lard - ho ho.
pinkster - should wipe off the lacquer, I reckon?. It'll be only part copper plated anyway. (maybe)
Make sure it's fixed well, some undesirable may have it away so he can swap it for fags at the local scrappy.
It will go brown.
New 1p and 2p peices have been copper plated steel, rather than bronze, for a few years now.
Lots of dirty brown coins not many green ones.
Verdigris takes a long time to form and it soluble in water so would probably wash off as its formed on an MTB
rich - true about coins, I figured finger dirt and grease promote brown oxidisation, and coins don't usually stay wet for long. Water solubility though: church roofs see plenty of rain, though, and the green doesn't wash off?
I'll put together a photo diary and post the results in 5 years' time.
Don't hold your breaths...
Recent chemistry graduate here....and I've got no idea. I'm gonna say brown though.
Brown.
We have copper coating kit at work and steel items have been known to get dipped on nightshift. They go brown after a bit.
But I did polish an exhaust manifold after coating and it looked fabulous.
Maybe I should do my P7
I thought some google image searching would help.
Here's the "Blow me down, would you believe it?" moment:
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And after scrolling down to the method, here's the "Ha. Well, yes I would." moment:
[img] 
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scott, clicky for more:
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there was a frame builder at last years Bespoked who did copper coating on frame parts. Went brown and looked very cool.