cleaning copper and brass

Well, it's not a dip-and-wipe, but I've had good results using wadding polishes like "Nevr-Dull". Don't know if that'd be any faster than Brass-O, though. --Glenn Lyford

--Go to a plumbing supply shop and look for some stuff called "Copper Brite". Must be illegal in Calif now as I've not seen it in years, but it does a first rate job.

thanks for the reply..

thanks for the reply

I *love* simichrome (timesavers.com has it, also watch ebay). No nasty, corrosive residue like Brasso, works fast, no harsh abrasives.

Met-All is a close second / mark

snipped-for-privacy@sprynet.com wrote:

while in the sevice the one good thing I leaned in the mess was to clean copper (pipes) and brass. We used common ketchup and white vinegar..I tried it here on sheet copper and it works getting off the dark stuff but leaves a dull finish thereby requireing brushing which might be more cost effective for you... Brass is best cleaned, (IMHO) by soaking in common vinegar and then brushed.. Course back then (60s) we were still coating almost everything with "red lead" an inch thick... back out to lurk...

granpaw

On Mon, 05 Jul 2004 18:16:01 -0700, Mark calmly ranted:

Simichrome is good stuff. All my old biking buddies used it before and after motocrosses. (I was the guy with the truck. :( )

$3.79 for a tube of simichrome.

--- Chaos, panic, and disorder--my work here is done.

When I get in big brass or bronze air horns that have either heavy dark brown copper oxide all over (actually a mix of red and black oxides) or green/blue patina, I go straight for the acid dip before I try any hand polishing. I personally use hot (140 F), saturated sodium bisulfate solution that has hydrogen peroxide added. Sodium bisulfate is the only ingredient of Sparex #2 Safety Pickle, but I buy it in bulk as hth's swimming pool "pH Minus" (available at pool supply stores, walmart, etc). This is less nasty to work with than straight sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, but more aggresive than vinegar or citric acid.

I add about 1/2 cup of 30% peroxide to each gallon of solution, also bought from the pool supply place (or beauty supply store--it's used as hair bleach also). I don't know the exact chemistry of it, but the peroxide prevents "pickle plate", undesirable copper plating of the brass or bronze items which would require mechanical removal.

-Adam