Cleaning brass parts

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bdtutton
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Cleaning brass parts

Post by bdtutton » Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:16 pm

Hello,

I don't know much about brass parts on a Model T. I was wondering if these parts could be cleaned up and how to go about it.
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Rich Bingham
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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by Rich Bingham » Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:29 pm

Any idea what it's been exposed to ? Looks nasty as if some chemical fallout gas eroded the zinc from the brass alloy leaving copper. Antifreeze will do that. Usually the brass items will respond to a good brass polish. You could start there and see how it goes.
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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by NorthSouth » Fri Apr 02, 2021 10:31 pm

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Bryan,
To easily get the hard crusty brown layer off, use a homemade paste of real lemon juice and baking soda. Mix it fairly thin more soupy than toothpaste. Be sure to remove this paste when you're done with clean water. Then brass polish and elbow grease.
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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by jiminbartow » Sat Apr 03, 2021 1:42 am

Your radiator shell is solid brass. That brown layer might be an old damaged coating of lacquer that was applied to protect an old polish job. The fact that only the horizontal surface of the brass appears to be affected may be a indication that it was caused by the sun and the elements. If it is old lacquer it can be removed with lacquer thinner and polished with “Meguiar’s Ultimate rubbing compound”. If it is not deteriorated lacquer, the brown is most likely tarnish that can be still compounded off with “Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound”, which is what I prefer over metal polishes. Apply a dab to a folded cotton cloth like an old tee shirt and with two fingers, rub in a circular motion until the brown starts to disappear, revealing the brass underneath, then continue rubbing until you can clearly see yourself and the landscape behind you. The mirror shine you get from the rubbing Compound can be enhanced and refined with “Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish”, applied in the same way. “Meguiar’s Ultimate Paste Wax” will offer some degree of protection to the shine, without obscuring the shine like lacquer sometimes does. Jim Patrick

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Last edited by jiminbartow on Sat Apr 03, 2021 5:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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bdtutton
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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by bdtutton » Sat Apr 03, 2021 1:40 pm

Oh....this is good information. I was concerned that the brass was permanently damaged or those parts just had a thin brass plating over steel and that was rust bubbling up from underneath. It sounds like the right chemicals and some elbow grease will make these look like new.
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jiminbartow
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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by jiminbartow » Sat Apr 03, 2021 5:23 pm

I am certain that you parts are solid brass, but it wouldn’t hurt to check them with a magnet. Jim Patrick


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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by SurfCityGene » Sat Apr 03, 2021 5:50 pm

Bryon, I would be very careful about using all sorts of different chemicals maybe recommended by well wishers with good intent!
You have the perfect tarnish that can be very easily and quickly removed with a product I found after years of trying every store bought product possible. It's called Bright Boy metal polish.. I found it first at Smart and Final and then at the local janitorial supply place. You could also search it online. I like it best on exactly on the brass that you have now that has sit for a long time and developed a lot of tarnish. Although it will clean off the tarnish pretty easy it will not give that perfect deep gloss that we like to see. With clean shiney brass it's very easy to give it a second polish with a premium polish like Mothers Billet, Blue Magic or Prisim. These seem to be my favorites and they all leave a sort of film to help protect and prolong the deep gloss.
I advise you to make or purchase a some covers that will really extend the time between polishing. Don't let the brass get that bad before you touch it up again. I live on the coast so the damp salt air likes to see me polish more than desert areas!
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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by Russ T Fender » Sat Apr 03, 2021 6:13 pm

I have to agree with the Bright Boy suggestion. I have even soaked brass that was black in it with great results. It removes the tarnish but is not a polish so you will have to polish everything once the Bright Boy has done the initial removal. I live on the East Coast of Florida and the brass really takes a beating here. It works!


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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by halftracknut » Sat Apr 03, 2021 7:29 pm

Get a bottle of Hines Ketchup....works great won't scratch....don't laugh until you try it....


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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by bdtutton » Sat Apr 10, 2021 12:29 am

A couple of my friends say I should use something called Brasso. Has anyone used this on their Model T?


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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by SurfCityGene » Sat Apr 10, 2021 5:01 pm

Don't waste a penny on todays Brasso. When I was in the Navy many years ago it was Great not now.. You'll not find anything better than Brite Boy which is very much like the old Brasso,
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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by Susanne » Sat Apr 10, 2021 6:23 pm

Brasso isn't what it used to be. Neither was that old grey mare... I've used Nev-R-Dull wadding, it works (or at least it did) fairly well.

I like the ketchup idea. Also someone said if I had coffee pot descaler, mix it up like you're descaling a coffee pot, get it hot, and the tarnish will almost rinse off... (I wonder if it will come back as fast, tho...) and of course it won't do much for polishing it...

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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by TWrenn » Sun Apr 11, 2021 9:10 am

Susanne...I tried a can of Nev-R-Dull and after a couple of tries, I renamed it NEV-R-WORKS!!

It is ok on very mild tarnish, more like jist if it needs "touched up". Brasso ain't like it was either like you said. I'm sticking with Blue Magic. Even badly tarnished gets cleaned up real nice, sometimes with a cotton wheel if real bad. Otherwise, I exercise my fingers a whole lot!

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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by TRDxB2 » Sun Apr 11, 2021 10:45 am

Its important to distinguish products for cleaning badly tarnished brass (copper bleeding) from products that excel at polishing lightly tarnished brass. Having said that, efforts may also be hindered by some surface coating like lacquer, spray paint or wax. Also if the item is solid brass or plated.
NOTES from the INTERNET:
1. Brass is mainly an alloy that consists of copper with zinc added. Brasses can have varying amounts of zinc or other elements added. These varying mixtures produce a wide range of properties and variation in color. Increased amounts of zinc provide the material with improved strength and ductility. Brass can range in color from red to yellow depending on the amount of zinc added to the alloy.
2. Generally, brass corrodes when the zinc, copper and tin components of brass alloy are exposed to water. This is a danger for brass pipes, exterior window casings and the hardware on boats. Corrosion in brass is easily identifiable by reddish or pink splotches on the surface of the object. In addition to the impact of water, exposure to mercury and ammonia can also cause brass corrosion.
This link gives step-by-step approach to "cleaning" brass and also several DIY cleaning solutions (most of which others have suggested). https://www.architecturaldigest.com/sto ... lean-brass

This previous discussion about "cleaning"
Used ketchup http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/25 ... 1329602801
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Cleaning Brass parts with a solution of White vinegar and Salt. http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/29 ... 1203713399
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Various methods this picture is one from Steve Jelf (I had also used this with great success) https://mtfca.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=6241
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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by mortier » Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:02 am

I posted these two short videos. Catsup, a treatment I'd heard about, wasn't very useful. The poultice I tested, however, did a nice job of removing heavy oxidation. Followed up with buffing, the part polished up nicely.

Phil

https://youtu.be/qQl-_qmuyeU
https://youtu.be/U-MkqJdPNDc


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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by SurfCityGene » Mon Apr 12, 2021 1:32 pm

Bryan, I sent you an email and offered to send you a Brite Boy sample? I haven't heard anything?

The big problem most of the cleaning ideas that have been posted here is that you have to wash the item off and also requires a lot of "soak/work" time. Also these items need to be removed from the car which in most cases is very time consuming or not practical.

I don't know about others but Very seldom do I ever use water to wash my brass car! I am able remove the side lamps and attach them to a bracket in a vise easily when I polish but everything else stays on the car. This is why the cleaner that I have found best is Brite Boy. It's simple to use, very effective with little work, doesn't cost much like the premium polishes. It works so well that I don't mind having to then polish the second time with a premium polish like Mothers billet, blue magic, or Prism.

What TRD posted is very true,,, there is cleaning and then polishing. I've never tried steel wool but seems a little aggressive on a mirror gloss finish. The type of cloth used is very important. Some will leave marks as you try top polish.

The best advise it to get and keep your brass covered when your not driving the car. I do know that it is a hassle then to take them off when a strange walking by wants to see your car and it's all covered but it'll be pretty when you take some covers off!
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bdtutton
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Re: Cleaning brass parts

Post by bdtutton » Tue Apr 13, 2021 1:25 am

Thank you everyone for your feedback....Besides this forum I have looked at several non-Model T forums and there are a lot of different opinions about what works best for brass and the process of getting it done. I have asked my wife to order small bottles of several different brass cleaners and I am going to do some testing of my own. If I find something works a lot better than the others I will post the results.

Thank you....Bryan

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