• Boinkage@lemmy.world
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    3 months ago

    US skateboarder learns about oxidization for the first time.

    Downvoters: Google brass patina and tell me what that looks like. Olympic “bronze” medals are made of brass. Brass oxidizes. This is oxidization. It’s not an inferior product or a hallmark of the cheapness if Olympics, it’s a thing that happens to some metals and metal alloys.

    • zaph@sh.itjust.works
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      3 months ago

      I googled it and it looks like the time required for this to happen naturally means your downvotes are justified.

      • Boinkage@lemmy.world
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        3 months ago

        So what do you think this is, if not natural patina? Unnatural patina? Olympic person secretly rubbing black stuff on their medal and posting it on Instagram for views? Do you think the Olympic committee intentionally purchased medals plated in something other than brass that would patina faster? Or do you think it’s not brass and some other metal that oxidizes at a faster rate? I think it would take more effort to create a medal that patinas at a faster rate than it would to just create a medal plated in plain old brass or bronze.

        Brass left alone in a clean environment will oxidize very slowly, because it’s just in contact with oxygen and electrolytes from the air. Metal oxidizes much faster in certain conditions, such as when it is regularly exposed to large amounts of oxygen and electrolytes, such as those found water and acid. Some examples of things that oxidize metals faster include being in regular contact with body oils, salty sweat, or chemicals like sunscreen or body lotion. Do you think any of these substances may have gotten on a medal being worn by an athlete in the summer for a week?

        Go get a piece of brass siding from the hardware store. Don’t put any sealant on it. Wear it around your neck for a week and see what happens to it.

          • Boinkage@lemmy.world
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            3 months ago

            I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. Y’all motherfuckers never handled a metal other than stainless steel before. Can’t wait to be vindicated when someone tells this dude to clean it with vinegar and see what happens.

    • Ech@lemm.ee
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      3 months ago

      So…your point is that it’s a widely known process, and that the manufacturer didn’t know/choose to coat it because they’re not being cheap?