Electroplating Iron to get "Antic" Look?

These people can certainly do it.

http://www.broughtons.com

On a job recently, a spiral staircase was coated in vinegar for a few days and then I think they rubbed a 'wax' with copper powder in it to get the look! I would try it on a duff piece first just to make sure! I only smelt the vinegar and saw the final results!

Google Patina

It's an acid, I have used these, on copper and such.

The way many Blacksmiths get this effect is the get a Copper or Bronze brissle wire brush.

Brush the surface to get the coverage you want...Leave it sit or wipe with a vinegar solution to get the colouration you want...

Once you get the effect you want...clean with water and then oil\laquer to Neutralise the vinegar and preserve the working surface.

Regards,

Sapper

I've used copper sulfate to do electro-plating of copper onto base metals in the past. You can also soak metals in the solution and that will also deposit copper onto the surface, but it takes longer, is much thiner and can be uneven.

In reality any copper salt (nitrate, chloride, etc.) can be used for electro-plating its just that copper sulfate is the most common and therefore most easily available chemical.

As for giving the material an antique look, spray a dilute solution of ammonium silfate onto the dry shiny copper and it will quickly turn brown then green. I think the green patina is what you are looking for if I am not mistaken.

i am seeking the dark brown with lighter streeks ,like some bathroom fixtures,some call it "rubbed copper"