Why Our Copper is Superior
- We fire rich colors directly into the copper to allow the healing of stains and scratches
- Our hammering is optimized, which is critical in terms of how the copper wears over time with use
- Our hammering is shallow enough so it can also be used as a writing surface
- Solder lines joining our copper sheets are virtually undetectable
- Our flat-lying copper does not rise or bubble up
- Our corner and edge treatments are rounded and without any sharp or pointed edges
- We seal our copper with paste wax, which is the proper sealer used for copper
- Our custom coppertops are available in virtually any size or shape
Copper Instincts Craftsmanship
Hand-Hammered Copper
We use old-world craftsmanship to hammer and form copper using methods developed centuries before the Spanish conquerors arrived in Mexico.
The fire is stoked and old copper materials are recycled by melting into a disk or ingot and allowed to cool. Then the ingots are alternatively heated red-hot and hammered in rapid harmony by our skilled coppersmiths using nothing more than fire, hammers, and an anvil.
This process is repeated and then the copper is flattened into the proper size and cut into the desired shape. Copper Instincts uses a very specific temperature range for heating the copper in order to fire the rich and varied combinations of colors directly into the copper.
It is an incredibly labor-intensive operation, and it is only practiced by the coppersmiths in Santa Clara del Cobre, high up in the Sierra Madre Mountains of south-central Mexico.
Reclaimed Wood
The wood our carpenters use to manufacture Copper Instincts furniture is a combination of new pine and reclaimed pine salvaged from old buildings (barn wood). It is thoroughly fumigated for a minimum of 48 hours using a gas approved by the EPA and FDA for the fumigation of fruits, vegetables, and wood products.
The craftsmanship of our Copper Instincts wood furniture is far superior to typical Mexican rustic furniture. Our wood panels are free-floating and specifically designed and built to prevent cracking and warping.
The standard finish on the reclaimed wood is a dark walnut color that combines very well with the colors in the hammered copper. It has a particularly smooth and refined appearance. This finish is applied using wood stain, a glaze, and two coats of high-quality durable clear-coat lacquer. This multi-step process makes Copper Instincts wood furniture long-lasting and resistant to water.
Hand-Forged Iron
Our iron furniture bases are hand-forged using raw iron that's heated red-hot and hand-hammered into shape and cleanly welded. Our iron is designed to be eye-catching, functional, and very sturdy.
Copper Instincts iron is very clean in appearance with flawless construction and durable finishes. It is very different and much higher in quality than what is usually associated with Mexican iron. Our welds are hidden and you won’t find any weld splatter on our iron. The various paint finishes on our iron involve a six-step process which results in finishes which are resistant to corrosion in extreme environments such as salty beaches. Our iron may be used near the ocean without worrying about rusting.
Many of Copper Instincts’ iron designs are available in “normal” or “heavy” versions, which are the same in design but employ thicker and heavier iron for clients who prefer that look. All of our iron may be custom made to any size our customers wish.