I suggest this thread gets back to coinage or all might be flushed. It bordered on poorness in the beginning and if has turned to such, with no researching the actual chemistry, etc. then let it dribble to a quick stop or I will snip it off. Thanks Jim
OK, chemistry. Obviously, if we're interested in toning, we're interested in sulfur. I don't know what sulfur-bearing species are common in urine -- it's complex stuff, apparently -- but sulfur isn't called out as a major component. Unless you eat asparagus. Asparagus contains asparagusic acid, an odd little heterocyclic compound with a disulfide link: This apparently gets metabolized into (among other things) methanethiol (methyl mercaptan) and dimethyl sulfide (the thio version of dimethyl ether) -- both of which STINK A LOT. And both of which, I'd bet, could serve as reduced sulfur donors for toning, much like hydrogen sulfide. So... chow down on some asparagus, and try again?
I know asparagus makes your pee stink. And cat pee heavy ammonia smell. Maybe a bunch of eggs for the sulfur. I know hard water that smells like rotten eggs can have some amazing results. My wife’s parents have a house in Massachusetts that has hard water. Her sterling jewelry had bad results. I had some fun with some cleaned coins by running hot water on them. That and some time in a paper envelope makes a great surface
That's a cool graphic, but it looks like it's completely scrambled. Grapefruit, a citrus, listed as alkaline? It's strongly acidic, pH less than 4. In fact, I'm having a hard time thinking of any foods that are significantly alkaline, unless you count individual ingredients like baking soda or lime (the mineral, not the fruit). Here's a table that cites actual academic sources; it's not a graphic, but I think I trust it more. I know there are lots of people who are very concerned about maintaining an alkaline "body pH", but as far as I can tell it's all based on complete misunderstandings about biology and chemistry. I see discussion about the pH of "ash" left when food is "burned" in your body, but that's more runaway metaphor than science. Your body works very effectively to maintain a stable pH, different for different tissues, but stable within each tissue. You can eat stuff to change your urine's pH, and you can eat or drink or breathe stuff to change your blood's pH (acidosis), but in general your body neutralizes anything excessively acidic or alkaline that you ingest.
Cranberry juice can influence it a bit too. I drink a lot. Mixed with vodka. Good for your prostrate too
Thanks for clarifying that. I was trying to find something simple that would relate foods to pH. I didn't look at it close enough.
Not sure where you got this, but I question its accuracy. Quick look, grapefruit at pH 8...grapefruit is acidic, more like a 3-4, cabbage, listed at pH 10 (!) is either neutral (pH 7) or slightly acid.
My hypothetical malaria requires dosage with quinine water (carbonated and add some gin and Rose's Lime).
I think it is for the "food ash" pH thing. Here's the article I found that discusses the... well, I guess I could call it "belief system". https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/the-alkaline-diet-myth
I haven't tried urine, but I have used sweat plenty of times, it seems to do minimal toning. I sweat a lot here in Thailand,much of the year. I tried toning a newly cast small brass Buddha with salt and vinegar and had little luck. Then I took it to a guy who was restoring and treating much larger Brass/Bronze Buddhas at a nearby wat, and he swabbed some of his toning chemical paste on mine. It worked a bit, but did not make the real old dark green looking patina I like. I suspect that a bit of study into the chemical processes involved would help one achieve better results.
I ran across an old kids experiment where they had kids soak cents in a vinegar solution of salt and let it dry out. The green I got was intense.
Maybe some of our older collectors can wrap a few coins in a diaper, set them in a south facing window and report back to us. Just a thought.
I was searching for a way to clean discoloration off coins caused by urine from my foster kitten. I thought I cleaned and dried them properly when it happened a year ago. However I got the jar out and discovered the coins were discolored. A dime was a light copper color. I have approximately two cups of discolored coins thanks to the kitten’s urine.