Is there a copper alloy wire that does not tarnish?

Question

I have some 24 guage wire, looks like copper but is a more red than the copper wire I have bought in my local hardware store. I have stored the two spools of wire in the same toolbox for 10+ years and the 24 guage wire did not tarnish or even changed in color at all. I have since used the 24 guage in my jewlery and I am looking for something similar. I have been to all of the mianstream hardware and craft stores and have not found any wire that will not tarnish or the color will not scratch off while working with it. I have looked on the net and have found tons of wire manufacturers with copper alloy wire, but do not know what copper alloy will not tarnish. Please help if you can.

The wire I have is the same color all the way through. So it is not anodized and colored. It also does not have a coating to keep it from tarnishing as I have scratched the wire while working with it and no tarnish appears on those areas either. I live in San Antonio, TX., and I still have a sample of the wire in question, where should I take it for closer review???
Thanks for the answers I've recieved.

Answer 1

It sounds to me that the wire isn't copper at all.

Aluminum wire can be anodized, and the the anodized layer can be dyed any number of colors.

What you have there is likely anodized aluminum dyed to look like copper. It doesn't tarnish, but it can get dirty, so if you use it in jewelry, you'd still have to clean it occasionally.

EDIT:

Okay, so it's not anodized AL, though there's still a possibility that it's clear-coated (unless you scratched it a long time ago...), as the other answerer said. If you still have a piece, then your best bet is definitely to show it to someone. Look through your local phone book to find any metal shops (especially copper specialists!) or jewelers, and drop by a bunch of them to get a range of opinions (or hope they all agree!).

Another possibility is to email the Copper Development Association to see if they have any ideas.

Here's the CDA's inquiry form for "people who have a question about copper." I guess that's you!
http://www.copper.org/help/db/CopperInquiryServlet.jsp?Action=reset&isWeb=Y&webID=99&service=COPPERINTRA&redirect=http://www.copper.org&post2=CopperInquiryServlet.jsp

Here's an article about the metallurgy of copper wire. Probably not too helpful, but ya never know.
http://www.copper.org/innovations/1997/Dec1997/wiremetallurgy.html

Good luck!

Answer 2

Copper continues to be conductive even after it tarnishes. think of of how many properties , homes and circuit boards have been around for some years with unprotected copper wiring and nevertheless habit without issues. i might take my possibilities leaving the uncovered board unprotected over the possibilities of a conductive coating being the conductive floor. Even a coating is made up of copper debris in a suspension of resin or latex and can't be as conductive as good steel could be, even with floor oxidation

Answer 3

Chances are your untarnished copper wire is clear-coated. You can do this yourself with a spray or brush-on varnish, best after the jewelery is made so it doesn't crack when bent. This is what many jewelers who work in copper use.