I had to restore a wood front entrance door during the week. The hardware on the exterior side of the door was shiny brass at one time. Over the course of fourteen years that brass has compiled layer of ….. after …….. after…….! I attempted to restore the brass back to its original form, with little success & much aggravation. So, I threw in the towel and was going to by a new brass kickplate for the door. At the True Value hardware store, I spoke with one of the employees, who is extremely helpful & knowledgable. I explained my predicament to him & told him I gave up on trying to restore the brass & was looking to purchase a new brass kickplate.
He suggested that I attempt to use vinegar to restore the brass to its original form. He said it was an old technique they used in the Navy, when they had to restore brass out at sea, that tarnished with the elements of the sea. I figured, if vinegar can restore the brass that is weathered by the ocean, it sure as heck will work on restoring brass on the mainland.
WOW!!! I soaked it overnight in a plastic tote container – worked miraculously.
No elbow grease & tons of four letter words!
Chipper 5/28/2004 Sharing some “Good Advice”
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Some other materials that work well include Kool-Aid type drinks, spaghetti sauce, and, of course, Brasso.
Don't forget tidy bowl.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
muratic acid works great too
I use spic and span, the granuals sold in a box, not the liquid. Soak it, and paint etc comes right off, the brass looks great.
I figure this is the topic string in which to ask this question:
I have an old brass light fixture which has been painted (not by me) with what seems to be one layer of oil based paint and then one layer of latex based paint. I'd like to restore the brass fixture. There is a good amount of raised/indented details to the fixture.
Does anyone have any recommendations as to which of the above methods might be best for my situation? I don't want to ruin the fixture in the process...
Boil the brass parts in an old pot with baking soda. More of a simmer than a boil actually....that's not a mistake, it's rustic
Well, I was slightly impatient and started trying to get the paint off using an exacto knife to "chip" away the paint. It was working fairly well but I soon realized it would be quite the time consuming process to do it this way.
I then tried your suggestion of boiling with baking soda method and all I can say is "wow!". I just dumped a bunch of baking soda into the pot and within minutes paint was coming off. I quickly learned that at some point it is best to start the process over with a new pot of water and soda. Is this your experience? The latex paint came off almost immediately. The oil based paint was more of a pain in the tooshy. I found I could alternatively boil, then scrub with fine steel wool, and repeat the process till all the oil paint was removed.
I did three smaller brass pieces and two ceramic parts that also had paint gooped all over them. Tomorrow I'll give the big bad boy a run!
A buddy of mine does that for a living (followed by polishing the daylights out of the brass and lacquering it), but if it is stubborn paint or lacquer on the brass, good old Easy Off Oven Cleaner (the stuff in the yellow can that will REALLY screw up your sinuses) will get it too.
Seems that the lye in it is what does the trick - just don't let the stuff dry on it or it will turn the brass black.
The older I get...The better I was.
In between baking soda and lye, in effectiveness and toxicity, is washing soda, which I have really grown to appreciate over the last couple years.
You picked up all the finer points. 0000 steel wool is very helpful. The benefit of this method is that it works on plated hardware too. Strippers and cleaners would leave a plated piece with just bare metal....that's not a mistake, it's rustic
I was doing a little reading on the Brasso product. Am I to believe this would remove all the "tarnish" on the brass with the end result being shiney brass? Also, what is the benefit of using the laquer? I assume that would seal the brass, therefore not allowing it to continue tarnishing...
I personally like the brass to show it's age. I bought a 1920's house for a reason - lots of history and craftsmanship you can't get in a newer house. But, if there is another reason for using the laquer, I might consider it.
some really aggressive methods listed here, some too "scratchy" for something that you want to keep the patina (like chrome, or nickel plate, or so on).So here's my 2 cents:
Bon Ami is a great cleanser with a damp sponge. It works like a cross between a cleanser and a polish and leaves chrome looking like new. Compared to green scrubby pads, or ajax type cleansers, which can ruin the shiny finish, Bon Ami works very well. You can also use it on glass, without fear of damage, if you use lots of water. Just in case anyone is looking for something like that I thought I'd mention it.Norm
We can't find Bon Ami here in Columbus (and DW loves it). They haven't gone out of business have they? I've got a six foot soaking tub (the old type with toe fills and the drain in the middle - don't worry we don't use the toe fills anymore) to clean and I want to get some. May have to pick up a case when I find it.
Try the Vermont Country Store catalog; the link for Bon Ami: http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=11646&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=bon+ami
They have a ton of old candy, cleaners and just plain junk you can't find anywhere anymore.
I don't like brass cleaners becuase they are more effort to remove than the tarnish. When I have to replace brass parts, I usually end up removing the lacquer so I can 'age' the brass to match the older stuff. Besides, lacquer can wear off in odd ways making the hardware age in wierd patterns.
...that's not a mistake, it's rustic
Jeff,Ever tried Staybrite? Specifically for metal and unlike other lacquers/clear coats. Stands up well to saltwater atmosphere also. Not cheap, but really good stuff. I've used it for many years now and it's never left me down.......not even in outdoor applications. Never have seen it flake off..like common lacquers will. Woodcraft, I believe, is one source. Kinda surprised that no one has yet mentioned buffing wheels, tripoli and jeweler's rouge.Some folks like tarnished/oxidized/patina look..some want as much shine as they can get. I've also had good success in using Staybrite to halt/dramatically slow... the patina when at the desired stage.For solid or heavily-plated brass, bronze or copper that has been painted, we use semi-paste methylene chloride based stripper, followed by muriatic, followed by the buffing wheels and compounds. Staybrite applied when desired look is at hand. Two coats for most indoor stuff, but three for sure on exterior pieces. Three on interior items like doorknobs and such that will receive more abrasion and contact with skin-borne acids over the years.Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.
I once used a chemical striper and then Brasso. Finished it up with two coats a clear lacquer.
Soundls like you have a good method for removing the paint--as for polishing the brass, I've had good luck with vinegar on brass switch plates. Also ketchup works well because it is thick enough not to run all over. The lacquer when you're done polishing prevents tarnishing. You could antique it (use "liver of sulfur" or the like)--the whole thing will turn black and then you hand rub away the black on the high spots and it can look like it's aged naturally. Then lacquer it to prevent further oxidation.
Steel wool with water and soap!After spray clear varnish to protect the shine.