Show Off Your Pots and Cups, Part IV

[chamekke]

I have just received a copper canister.
It is actually a little darker as in this picture.

Any advice for "cleaning" it?

Apparently there are lots of homemade recipes for copper cleaners out there. I did a quick Google and found one that uses flour, salt, powdered detergent, white vinegar, and lemon juice. Then I found another that uses taco sauce

If that seems too weird, I know there are plenty of commercial cream cleaners on the market. I've no idea what's available in France, but here I use Twinkle Copper Cleaner:



That's if you want the copper to be shiny and bright. Some people like a bit of patina.

If you're happy with the way it looks now, maybe just give it a wash in soapy water, then rinse in very hot water and leave it out to dry thoroughly? That should get rid of any dirt.

[Victoria]

I love clear teapots and vessels, too. The one transparent teapot I have is Adagio's IngenuiTea, which I use at my office very happily

Wait! you use something aside from a chawan and chasen????

Yes, I have a steeping habit as well as a whisking habit

I've even been known to drink... oolong

What???? Drinking oolong (brewed in an ingenuiTea) and going through Chip's closets?

Ok, who are you and what have you done with Chamekke????

.

[augie]

I may be a geek of teapot, but i like it very clear, translucide, where i can see what is going on in my teacup .

Dang, that is sexy. I can't read the name on the pot. Where did you get it????

[olivierco]

Apparently there are lots of homemade recipes for copper cleaners out there. I did a quick Google and found one that uses flour, salt, powdered detergent, white vinegar, and lemon juice. Then I found another that uses taco sauce

If that seems too weird, I know there are plenty of commercial cream cleaners on the market. I've no idea what's available in France, but here I use Twinkle Copper Cleaner:



That's if you want the copper to be shiny and bright. Some people like a bit of patina.

If you're happy with the way it looks now, maybe just give it a wash in soapy water, then rinse in very hot water and leave it out to dry thoroughly? That should get rid of any dirt.

Thanks chamekke, I was looking for a environment friendly method. I guess I will try the salt and vinegar method. If it doesn't work, I will go for commercial cream cleaner.
It looks good with the patina, but I'd like to see if it looks better shiny.

[britt]

It was the Chinese banning of an online Japanese teaware vendor, one that is very popular with many forum members, that actually opened this subject. I could have kept it more tea-related by bringing up what happened to the Yixing potters and tea farms when the communists took over China. Pre-communist China was one of the greatest nations in history. Now they're just a massive economic power, mostly producing junk.

China certainly has its way to go, no doubt, but it wasn't in the too distant past (40 years ago?) when "Made in Japan", "Made in Korea", or "Made in Taiwan" was considered a mark of inferiority for any product.

Very true, Made In Japan did used to mean junk, at least for their mass produced items. Many hand-made items, such as sword blades, were considered by many to be the best in the world. However, these weren't the items that made it to the Western markets.

Ditto for Korea and Taiwan.

China's just going through the same thing.

My point is that in many ways China is behind where they already were before the communist takeover. Japan, Korea, and Taiwan are all free nations, therefore innovation is encouraged and improvement the norm. IMO China under the communists cannot legitimately be compared to the free Asian nations as far as quality of manufacturing goes. I think any significant improvement is very distant as long as CPC retains power.

[Geekgirl]

It looks good with the patina, but I'd like to see if it looks better shiny.

AAAAAHHHH! Do you know how hard it is to get a really good aged patina on copper? Unless it is spotted and blotchy, please don't use a commerical cleaner on it. You will be disappointed unless you like new, shiny and bland. (Tell it like it is, Stace! )

If the patina is good, but you want it a little brighter, take the time to chamois rub it. Yes it will take some time and work, it's best a job for a little mindless buffing while watching TV or something, but in the end it will be very beautiful.

Alternatively, if you are just going to abuse your poor copper patina, send it to me. I'll love and baby it!

[Seth]

britt:

Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned that But I am here 4 months already and just counting days till I get back to civilization, so I am easily annoyed. That is rather not best place for discussions like that [but we should have here above average IQ level, so just intelligent talk ].

Spending some longer time living in China [not staying as tourist], in not top cities [Beijing, HK, Shanghai, Canton] really opens your eyes. Communist did a huge destruction. Whole country and culture is now a big fake - like their products. But I don't think it started with communism. Look what happned before, for example Taiping rebellion. Guy that claimed to be brother of Jesus! almost conquered whole China. And that was around 1860...

MarshalN:

Surprising thing is that China is not a cheap country. Taxes are low, salaries are very low [we don't talk about party members, they spend days admiring their american cars, Chrysler 300 is very popular here] but almost everything is more expensive than in US [electronics 10-20% more, other "made in china" stuff even 50-200% more, and choice is maybe like 5-10% of what you have in West]. Restaurants are cheap of course, but there are many expensive ones too [and they are not aimed for tourists]. Coffee bars [including Starbucks] are getting really popular [I guess it's easier to find one than tea house, they drink tea with meals or at home] and prices are like in US [around $4 per coffee].

[olivierco]

If the patina is good, but you want it a little brighter, take the time to chamois rub it.

I don't think it will work this way as the surface is not even.

[betta]

Censored 'trace of war'

[Pentox]

If the patina is good, but you want it a little brighter, take the time to chamois rub it.

I don't think it will work this way as the surface is not even.

That's what makes it nice though, you get that pattern of patina to shiny.

[Seth]

betta:

Yeah, I won't mind if posts on that subject magically disappear

[Geekgirl]

If the patina is good, but you want it a little brighter, take the time to chamois rub it.

I don't think it will work this way as the surface is not even.

That's what makes it nice though, you get that pattern of patina to shiny.

Yep, pretty much. That's what's desirable about decorative metal objects that oxidize nicely- that contrast of light and dark.

[Chip]

Semi official proclamation...

Discussions on politics rarely end well here unfortunately. It seems to bring emotions to the surface. It would likely be best to move on.

I have seen TeaFriends become TeaEnemies discussing these issues.

Nobody did anything wrong, per se, although there is a no politics discussion rule on TeaChat partially for this reason.

[Salsero]

Semi official proclamation... ... Discussions on politics rarely end well here unfortunately.

Not to mention one or two serious blow ups about philosophy.

[Chip]

Semi official proclamation... ... Discussions on politics rarely end well here unfortunately.

Not to mention one or two serious blow ups about philosophy.

...and religion...holy wars almost erupted.