Posted by bruce paul fink on November 16, 1998 at 08:00:45:

In Reply to: preserving patinas posted by Carol Brown on November 14, 1998 at 18:27:45:

Not sure what you mean without the gloss. This may be a gloss degree thing and not Flat enough but have you tried the water based Flat Polyurethane seal. Normally sold for a high grade wood finish. This would NOT be adequate for outdoors but might be closer to what you are looking for. This comes as a waterbased faint milk looking media and dries clear. Minwax and Many others make it and it is available in most hardware or paint stores . I doubt it will be listed as good for metals with a patina but indoors I don't know why it might not hold up well.

It air dries very fast but actually cures over a longer period of time like several days to become a very durable coating. I use it by the gallons for mixing with pigments and clear over paintings on tabletops that get fair abuse and it holds up very well with no obvious marks or failures to date.

For metals this would not be my personal preference but ... might be a good answer and if you do try it let us know the results.

I still prefer the VERY thin seal of Incralac as you mentioned and then a wax that does not have to be a glossy wax. If you try taking a microcrystaline wax (also used as a casting and modeling wax) and thinning it down with about 85% paint thinner by heating the wax (but not real hot)and pouring it into the thinner while stirring and then let set for another day or longer it will become a water thin mix that can be sprayed or brushed on. The goal is to give it a thin coat with no puddles and then let air dry. At this point it can be wiped off or down but this is not to buff it to a shine, just to do a gentle buff so there will be degrees of mat to semi gloss. It is this variation of mat to semi gloss I like and may not be your goals but... good luck and let us know your results.

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