I am remodeling a house I just purchased. It has an Iron and Brass handrail
on the stairs. The brass has years of cleaners, wax, dirt and tarnish on it.
There is the brass hand rail and some brass flutes and beads on the
balustrades. I've tried many of the metal cleaners from the hardware store
and they just don't get the job done. I think I should get a bench top
buffer and some rubbing compound. Sound right?

Al

Try vinegar and salt.

Al Schmidt wrote:
I am remodeling a house I just purchased. It has an Iron and Brass handrail
on the stairs. The brass has years of cleaners, wax, dirt and tarnish on it.
There is the brass hand rail and some brass flutes and beads on the
balustrades. I've tried many of the metal cleaners from the hardware store
and they just don't get the job done. I think I should get a bench top
buffer and some rubbing compound. Sound right?

Al

Al Schmidt wrote:
I am remodeling a house I just purchased. It has an Iron and Brass handrail
on the stairs. The brass has years of cleaners, wax, dirt and tarnish on it.
There is the brass hand rail and some brass flutes and beads on the
balustrades. I've tried many of the metal cleaners from the hardware store
and they just don't get the job done. I think I should get a bench top
buffer and some rubbing compound. Sound right?

Al


Well heres two that should do the job; Brasso and Twinkle. The Navy
uses Brasso and Twinkle is in there also. Both are available in
Grocery stores, but not always carried by all. Think all of them takes
a bit of elbow grease to do the job right.

Jack wrote:

Al Schmidt wrote:
I am remodeling a house I just purchased. It has an Iron and Brass handrail
on the stairs. The brass has years of cleaners, wax, dirt and tarnish on it.
There is the brass hand rail and some brass flutes and beads on the
balustrades. I've tried many of the metal cleaners from the hardware store
and they just don't get the job done. I think I should get a bench top
buffer and some rubbing compound. Sound right?

Al

Well heres two that should do the job; Brasso and Twinkle. The Navy
uses Brasso and Twinkle is in there also. Both are available in
Grocery stores, but not always carried by all. Think all of them takes
a bit of elbow grease to do the job right.

Second the Brasso, it really works well and you don't need a lot. Cut an
old sheet/pillowcase/shirt into strips a few inches wide and a couple
feet long and they'll be a big help buffing in tight spots. For the
flatter areas the safest way to buff is probably with a soft cloth like
a piece of the sheet folded a few times and press the soft pad of a
handheld power random orbit sander against the cloth periodically
switching to different areas of the cloth as they gunk up. Anything more
powerful than that is a bit risky unless you're really good with it.

Pete C.

Al Schmidt wrote:
I am remodeling a house I just purchased. It has an Iron and Brass handrail
on the stairs. The brass has years of cleaners, wax, dirt and tarnish on it.
There is the brass hand rail and some brass flutes and beads on the
balustrades. I've tried many of the metal cleaners from the hardware store
and they just don't get the job done. I think I should get a bench top
buffer and some rubbing compound. Sound right?

Al

I would use something with phosphoric acid in it, 20% or so

Al Schmidt wrote:
I am remodeling a house I just purchased. It has an Iron and Brass handrail
on the stairs. The brass has years of cleaners, wax, dirt and tarnish on it.
There is the brass hand rail and some brass flutes and beads on the
balustrades. I've tried many of the metal cleaners from the hardware store
and they just don't get the job done. I think I should get a bench top
buffer and some rubbing compound. Sound right?

Al

I would use something with phosphoric acid in it, 20% or so

Sounds beautiful! I have an old house with quite a bit of brass
hardware, some of which was so black it took a magnet to determine
whether it was brass underneath all the grime, and I've found the best
combination to be Brasso and elbow grease.

Jo Ann

Al Schmidt wrote:
I am remodeling a house I just purchased. It has an Iron and Brass handrail
on the stairs. The brass has years of cleaners, wax, dirt and tarnish on it.
There is the brass hand rail and some brass flutes and beads on the
balustrades. I've tried many of the metal cleaners from the hardware store
and they just don't get the job done. I think I should get a bench top
buffer and some rubbing compound. Sound right?

Al

On Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:50:12 GMT, Al Schmidt wrote:

I am remodeling a house I just purchased. It has an Iron and Brass handrail
on the stairs. The brass has years of cleaners, wax, dirt and tarnish on it.
There is the brass hand rail and some brass flutes and beads on the
balustrades. I've tried many of the metal cleaners from the hardware store
and they just don't get the job done. I think I should get a bench top
buffer and some rubbing compound. Sound right?

Al

Many, if not most, architectural brass items are clear coated as the last
step in manufacturing.

If you don't remove this coating before you use metal cleaners, you are
asking for a lot of work because you have to wear through the coating
before you get to the metal.

The clear coating can often be removed with lacquer thinner, and almost
always with paint and varnish remover.

Try it, you will probably be surprised. It's actually easy polish brass if
that't what you are actually polishing.

Karl S wrote:
On Tue, 31 Oct 2006 13:50:12 GMT, Al Schmidt wrote:

I am remodeling a house I just purchased. It has an Iron and Brass handrail
on the stairs. The brass has years of cleaners, wax, dirt and tarnish on it.
There is the brass hand rail and some brass flutes and beads on the
balustrades. I've tried many of the metal cleaners from the hardware store
and they just don't get the job done. I think I should get a bench top
buffer and some rubbing compound. Sound right?

Al

Many, if not most, architectural brass items are clear coated as the last
step in manufacturing.

If you don't remove this coating before you use metal cleaners, you are
asking for a lot of work because you have to wear through the coating
before you get to the metal.

The clear coating can often be removed with lacquer thinner, and almost
always with paint and varnish remover.

Try it, you will probably be surprised. It's actually easy polish brass if
that't what you are actually polishing.

brass is often laquered , so make sure this is removed , and considered
recoating it after polishing

On 31 Oct 2006 14:56:44 -0800, wrote:

brass is often laquered , so make sure this is removed , and considered
recoating it after polishing

The only way to remove old clear laquer coats is to power wire brush
the article followed by buffing. Then polish and relaquer, preferably
with Varathane varnish.

In article ,
says...
On 31 Oct 2006 14:56:44 -0800, wrote:

brass is often laquered , so make sure this is removed , and considered
recoating it after polishing

The only way to remove old clear laquer coats is to power wire brush
the article followed by buffing. Then polish and relaquer, preferably
with Varathane varnish.


Wire brushing a brass plated item is a sure fire way to ruin the finish.

On Wed, 01 Nov 2006 01:58:06 GMT, Mike wrote:


brass is often laquered , so make sure this is removed , and considered
recoating it after polishing

The only way to remove old clear laquer coats is to power wire brush
the article followed by buffing. Then polish and relaquer, preferably
with Varathane varnish.


Wire brushing a brass plated item is a sure fire way to ruin the finish.

Beats spending hours and hours removing the laquer by hand. A brass
wire wheel will be more gentle. If its solid brass the wire brush
shouldn't harm it. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc and cannot
be deposited as plate. If the item is some form of fake gold plating
then there is little value in restoring it. Wire brush it anyway. If
its ruined toss it.

On Tue, 31 Oct 2006 23:59:58 GMT, PaPaPeng wrote:

On 31 Oct 2006 14:56:44 -0800, wrote:

brass is often laquered , so make sure this is removed , and considered
recoating it after polishing

The only way to remove old clear laquer coats is to power wire brush
the article followed by buffing. Then polish and relaquer, preferably
with Varathane varnish.
Why wire brush it when lacquer thinner or paint remover will take it off
without scratching?