r/Copper • • Feb 06 '26

REMINDER: This subreddit is for artists and artisans who work with copper as a hobby or a job, and people who admire and collect copper objects. It is NOT to be used to discuss investment strategies, metals markets, spot prices, or selling to scrap yards. That is against our subreddit rules.

26 Upvotes

(This is a long post. You are still responsible for following the rules of this subreddit, whether you read the following information or not.)

Too many people have been making snarky and otherwise rule-breaking posts and comments here lately, and I've been removing a ton of them. This has become especially bad with the recent activity in metals prices.

Our longstanding, primary subreddit rule is:



#1 Civility is the price of participation here. Please act like adults and keep things pleasant.


Being civil to other people is not only appreciated, it's a requirement. Arguing, bickering, and whining is annoying. Being a jerk to other people is bad. Being negative and overly critical isn't allowed here. Don't do it.



For the people spilling over from /r/silverbugs and similar subs: No offense, but this place may not be for you. There are other subreddits specifically intended for discussing copper markets, investments, etc. However if you're here to admire interesting and attractive objects made of copper, you are more than welcome.

This is a subreddit for people who like to make and/or collect copper objects, discuss its interesting properties, explore what people are doing with it now and how it has been used in the past. We also love it when copper workers in the construction trades show us their latest projects.

If you have a pile of scrap copper you've accumulated that you'd like to show off here, that's OK too, as long as the comments don't start wandering off-limits with offers to buy and sell, or discuss markets and investments.

For the condescending naysayers in the comments, we know that copper collectibles have a high premium over their metal content, they always have when compared to actual precious metals. The people who buy them do it because THEY like those objects. Please keep your negative opinions to yourself.

Some people actually enjoy copper for its inherent beauty and what can be made from it. We aren't all strictly mercenary scrap scroungers. If that's your primary interest, there are other subreddits for that. Please go find one.

This sub is not for people with limited taste and imagination to tell copper connoisseurs how worthless their art and collectibles are, because your personal worldview can only conceive of the value of copper items being whatever some lowballing scrap yard worker tells you it is. You really need to explore your options and stop limiting yourselves.

It has always been fine on this sub for people to offer things for sale that they have made themselves -- whether jewelry, decorative items, or hand-poured bars. That fits in with this being a subreddit for artisans, collectors, and the intellectually curious.

It is NOT OK to offer your copper scrap, mass-produced copper collectibles, or bars and rounds that you didn't make yourself for sale on /r/Copper, or for people to offer to buy those things here. Commercial offers from manufacturers and distributors likewise aren't permitted here.

If these negative and off-topic comments continue we may have to start auto-removing every single new comment made here, leaving them in limbo until a human moderator has a chance to review them, one-by-one. Our filters are already working overtime, holding back a whole slew of questionable comments, awaiting eventual approval.

Thank you.


r/Copper • • Feb 23 '26

Even if you don't want to turn your scrap wire into ingots to sell to collectors for a hefty premium, you can still get much more for it than a scrap yard would pay you by listing batches of it by weight on eBay. (These are sold prices, the amounts that people are actually paying for it right now.)

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17 Upvotes

r/Copper • • 19h ago

Cuanto creeis que hay?

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9 Upvotes

r/Copper • • 1d ago

Made a Gorgon

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18 Upvotes

r/Copper • • 1d ago

Copper polishing compound

2 Upvotes

So ive gone through various grits of sandpaper and still have a few scratches remaining are there any recommendations on polishing compounds that get help get rid of the last few scratches?


r/Copper • • 2d ago

Dug up in backyard garden

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31 Upvotes

2008 stamped on end.


r/Copper • • 2d ago

Copper brightening dip

3 Upvotes

I took off a patina from copper using citric acid It left the copper a raw pink copper. Is there a good bright dip they will make it be shiny again without polishing?


r/Copper • • 5d ago

This is a tree arm cuff I made with 1.2 and 0.3 mm copper wire. All wire wrapped, no soldering.

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123 Upvotes

r/Copper • • 5d ago

Toothpick for scale

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42 Upvotes

Small piece with patina and then burnished with a piece of ceramic


r/Copper • • 5d ago

Copper countertop

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13 Upvotes

The countertop I made got installed today. 72x25 made with 16oz copper and finished with sculpt noveau patinas and satin clear coat.


r/Copper • • 7d ago

Copper cuff

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29 Upvotes

Really proud of this one. I forged a little groove for the ammonia patina to settle into. Its own safe haven.


r/Copper • • 8d ago

Copper End of Project Bonus

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28 Upvotes

13 x 6 meter lengths of copper bar 150 x 10mm.

The black is heat-shrink insulation.

Not sure what I'll do with it yet?


r/Copper • • 8d ago

Just finished pouring and stamping these large ingots. First bars to feature my logo as well.

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84 Upvotes

r/Copper • • 9d ago

Microbes: The next era of Copper mining...

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3 Upvotes

The use of microorganisms to extract copper from low grade ores promises to be much more cost efficient and less damaging to the environment, due to the rise in demand for copper globaly scientists and engineers are pioneering new and innovative ways to extract metals that are increasingly become scarce.


r/Copper • • 9d ago

Perseus and Medusa’s Fate, Copper Relief

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39 Upvotes

r/Copper • • 11d ago

Custom copper chimney caps

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136 Upvotes

I love making these so much. Each design is a unique challenge.


r/Copper • • 11d ago

My latest copper bracelet

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29 Upvotes

r/Copper • • 11d ago

Experimental patina

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21 Upvotes

My latest copper piece. Super excited about the patina. I was playing around with acid and fire and created my own patina technique that I couldn't be more pleased with.


r/Copper • • 14d ago

This is a leaf arm cuff I made with 1.2 and 0.3 mm copper wire.

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43 Upvotes

r/Copper • • 14d ago

A vendor came to my shop with oxidized copper coasters — how is this color achieved, and is it safe for tea?

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119 Upvotes

A vendor came to my shop today with a set of gongfu tea accessories in this beautiful oxidized copper tone. I've seen plenty of hammered copper before, but this one had a deeper, almost purple-brown patina that I couldn't stop looking at.

Two things I'm genuinely curious about:

  1. How is this color achieved?

I know natural oxidation plays a role, but this looked too even to be purely natural. Is it a chemical coloring process, a heat treatment, or something else? I've read about chemical conversion coatings being common for copper crafts, but I'd love to hear from anyone who actually works with this.

  1. Is it safe to use with tea?

The coaster only holds the cup, so direct contact with tea is minimal. But I'm still wondering — does the oxide layer stay stable over time, especially with hot cups and occasional splashes? And is there any concern about the surface breaking down or leaching?

I didn't buy anything yet — just genuinely curious and wanted to learn from people who know more. Any insights would be appreciated!


r/Copper • • 15d ago

Copper relief

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50 Upvotes

r/Copper • • 18d ago

Ammonia fume patina help

5 Upvotes

I’ve built my ammonia fume chamber out of an old plastic tub. Lid seals nice and tight. I hang my copper from yarn I have running across the top of the container. I spray my copper with a mixture of salt and vinegar. 16oz white vinegar with 1 tbsp salt. After a few hours I get some blue patina but it’s so dark and splotchy. Can anyone give me some suggestions on a more solid turquoise patina?


r/Copper • • 18d ago

I can't use this on copper , can I

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9 Upvotes

r/Copper • • 19d ago

A bull relief sculpture made entirely by hand from 0.2 mm copper

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52 Upvotes

r/Copper • • 20d ago

I used 1.2 and 0.3 mm copper wire to turn this broken stone into a tree pendant.

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77 Upvotes