OH, she said BR asso.

[Farmwithjunk]

Army artillery, loud car stereo's, 30+ years of loud power tools at work, and a few loud tractors, and my hearing is toast.

But I could have sworn I heard the Mrs. calling me a derogatory name while ago---

I was on the way to the store. She stuck her head out the kitchen window, telling me something that I didn't quite hear. I THOUGHT she was mad at me.

Oh, yeah, the Brasso polish.

We found a couple old copper kettles at the flea market this morning. Years of abuse without a doubt. Brasso takes off 90% of the discoloration. (Along with a Brillo pad OR Scotch-Brite pad.) Any suggestions on how to get that "see yourself shine"?

And speak clearly, I can't hear OR see very well anymore. I don't want to think I'm being called a name again.

 

[hudr]

My grandmommie Allen used to use lemon slices dipped in baking soda. I don't know if that will remove scratches and the like, but it will take off tarnish. Of course, I also remember her getting upset w/ a new aunt one time for washing her cast iron skillet. She said she had been "seasoning" it for nearly 60 years. This is the same lady that I helped re-roof her garage. I was in High School, she was in her 70's and all I did was get the shingles up on the roof for her.
Boy, that question brought back a flood of memories....ever notice how one comment can lead to too many boring old anecdotes?

 

[ronjhall]

FLITZ
Is one of the best metal polishes I have used.

 

[Michael_E_Tx]

First, I would apply Brasso and any other initial polish with 0000 steel wool. After you get most of the tarnish off with Brasso, I would switch polishs. You can get an approximation of how shiny your surface is getting by rubbing it vigorously with steel wool and then burnish with cotton denim. Use only cotton rags, no polyester.

My favorite polish for softer metals (copper, brass, nickel), is a metal polish called Semi Chrome. Not sure of the exact spelling, but it is great stuff. A little goes a long way.

If you discover that the surfaces are just too cruddy, you can also sand the copper with 400-600 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper, used wet. A copper surface uniformly sanded with 600 will give you a nice surface to polish. If you're compulsive, you can go to finer grits, 800-1200, but IMHO it isn't worth it.

When you have reached a level of polishing which pleases you, resist the temptation to wax the object. Polished copper heads inevitably toward patina. It is slow coming but will actually help seal the surface, so that an object can be handled more freely without messing up the shine. When your polish job is fresh, hand oils and especially wax will make the patina come in blotchy and not pretty.

Always buy sandpaper by the sleeve and steel wool by the case. This will reduce the tendancy many of us have of continuing to use worn sandpaper and crushed worn out steel wool. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[inveresk]

I don't know if this will work with brass but diesel fuel is a great cleaner for bronze. You have to be ready to wash it off quick or it can discolour the bronze but when timed right really makes a clean job of it. Never tried it on brass but I think one's copper and tin, the other copper and zinc so I don't see why it wouldn't work.