Brass cleaning

[inspex]

I have a bit of brass to clean and was after some advice on the best way to clean then polish the items

 

[miketsp]

Tomato ketchup.

Rub it on, leave until it dries then brush it off with small brush (or toothbrush). Rinse.

Smearing with a cloth soaked in olive oil will retard tarnishing.

Or read:
http://www.cleaningbrass.org/

 

[Krazytomdiver]

As a dive guide,I would use the old Army cleaning solution called "Brasso". You can purchase it at any store. Just follow the directions. You might want to spray some clear lacquer after cleaning to prevent tarnish.

"living life without a hard bottom"
KT

 

[theduckguru]

Try cleaning the brass in household detergents and polish with Never Dull mag wheel cleaner. It's a treated swabbing in a silver can sold at discount stores. This product was produced as a brass cleaner for more than 50 years before it was marketed as mag wheel cleaner. People don't clean much brass these days and the market is in wheels. Inexpensive.

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

Depending how crusted over it is you may have to glass bead it. Glass beads are used in a sand blast cabinet, it is much kinder to the brass then sand and it cleens it up fast. I use this method on alot of portholes and other brass objects but if you want them clean but still looking like they came out of the water use vinigar to tarnish them up after to get rit of the yellow brass look.
ZDD

 

[inspex]

Thanks for your advice- i want to clean up a light that has been in the water for approx 70 years so there is a fair bit of sh_t on it , if i can't get glass beads any other suggestion

 

[Zodiacdiverdave]

If your are cleaning light I would assume it is made of brass and copper, any chance you could post some pix? You just have to click on the paper-clip icon and browse to the picture file then click upload. (wow, I think I just spoke some geek-a-neze) Anyway if it is copper it will be much more delicate and hand cleaning the hard way with a wire brush or wheel on a drill and plastic scrapers might be in order, nothing more abrasive then glass bead though. Sand or aluminum oxide may put holes in the copper.
It would be nice to see a before and after pic.
ZDD

 

[fyue]

I recommend soaking the item in white vinegar for several days, refreshing the solution every day or so. If it is only brass and not other materials, a 1:4 solution of muriatic acid (danger!) to water will work faster. This is what I do for all my brass and other encrusted objects and this method works very well.

Try doing this before you use mechanical cleaning methods. To clean other grime off, use a brass wire brush. It will clean the junk without seriously affecting your brass artifact.

 

[knowone]

I do what fyue does, and bide my time eating hotdogs all
covered with grated cheese, American mustard and chile.

But once you clean it off, it looks like almost every other
piece of metal object, in the copper and brass junk shop.

Having lost the allure of having been beneath the waves
far longer than above them