Info Favorites Register Log in
myArmoury.com Discussion Forums

Forum index Memberlist Usergroups Spotlight Topics Search
Forum Index > Off-topic Talk > Polishing a brass guard Reply to topic
This is a standard topic  
Author Message
Michael Moss




Location: Barcelona
Joined: 11 May 2005

Posts: 18

PostPosted: Thu 26 May, 2005 8:42 am    Post subject: Polishing a brass guard         Reply with quote

Hullo,

I happen to own a rather poorly manufactured replica saber, of the American civil war, it seems, with a typical french-style handguard such as that of a cuirassier's latte. I've decided to polish it and restore it, but the brass reacted rather badly to worcestershire sauce (which usually works wonders for polishing brass) and seems to have lost some color.
Could I have any advice as how to appropriately polish it?

Thank you in advance,

Von Moss

La Garde meurt, mais ne se rend pas!
View user's profile Send private message
Aaron Schnatterly




Location: New Glarus, WI
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Reading list: 67 books

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,244

PostPosted: Thu 26 May, 2005 8:59 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Brasso or some other commercial brass polish.

0000 steel wool would be fine enough not to scratch - used to use it on chrome pipes all the time, and it works really well.

-Aaron Schnatterly
_______________

Fortior Qui Se Vincit
(He is stronger who conquers himself.)
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Patrick Kelly




Location: Wichita, Kansas
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Reading list: 42 books

Spotlight topics: 2
Posts: 5,739

PostPosted: Thu 26 May, 2005 9:03 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Are you sure the gaurd isn't coated with something?
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
Michael Moss




Location: Barcelona
Joined: 11 May 2005

Posts: 18

PostPosted: Thu 26 May, 2005 9:17 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Patrick Kelly wrote:
Are you sure the gaurd isn't coated with something?


Well I'm not quite sure about that. It wouldn't be surprising for such a shabby reproduction to have a fake brass guard -- I don't know who manufactured it, I got it a very long time ago, bought it second hand. The blade has a full tang, which means it isn't a flimsy reproduction, but the scabbard quite rusted and the handle has lost its lustre. Only lately had I seen, on internet, a sword extremely similar (if not identical) but polished to a mirror finish, and so I decided to put this drab, shabby replica of mine into shape.

La Garde meurt, mais ne se rend pas!
View user's profile Send private message
Patrick Kelly




Location: Wichita, Kansas
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Reading list: 42 books

Spotlight topics: 2
Posts: 5,739

PostPosted: Thu 26 May, 2005 9:43 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Michael Moss wrote:
Patrick Kelly wrote:
Are you sure the gaurd isn't coated with something?


Well I'm not quite sure about that. It wouldn't be surprising for such a shabby reproduction to have a fake brass guard -- I don't know who manufactured it, I got it a very long time ago, bought it second hand. The blade has a full tang, which means it isn't a flimsy reproduction, but the scabbard quite rusted and the handle has lost its lustre. Only lately had I seen, on internet, a sword extremely similar (if not identical) but polished to a mirror finish, and so I decided to put this drab, shabby replica of mine into shape.


What I mean is, are you sure that the gaurd isn't coated with some kind of laquer or varnish?

"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
Michael Moss




Location: Barcelona
Joined: 11 May 2005

Posts: 18

PostPosted: Thu 26 May, 2005 9:52 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Patrick Kelly wrote:
Michael Moss wrote:
Patrick Kelly wrote:
Are you sure the gaurd isn't coated with something?


Well I'm not quite sure about that. It wouldn't be surprising for such a shabby reproduction to have a fake brass guard -- I don't know who manufactured it, I got it a very long time ago, bought it second hand. The blade has a full tang, which means it isn't a flimsy reproduction, but the scabbard quite rusted and the handle has lost its lustre. Only lately had I seen, on internet, a sword extremely similar (if not identical) but polished to a mirror finish, and so I decided to put this drab, shabby replica of mine into shape.


What I mean is, are you sure that the gaurd isn't coated with some kind of laquer or varnish?


Hrm... I've never thought about that. I don't think so, as if it had been varnished, the brass wouldn't have changed colour, would it?

La Garde meurt, mais ne se rend pas!
View user's profile Send private message
G. Scott H.




Location: Arizona, USA
Joined: 22 Feb 2005

Posts: 410

PostPosted: Thu 26 May, 2005 8:03 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Well, it seems possible that the brass is covered in a clear laquer (Windlass Steelcrafts does this, I don't know about others), and the worcestershire sauce perphaps clouded the laquer in some way, making the brass appear lighter in color. Just a thought. Happy
View user's profile Send private message
Michael Moss




Location: Barcelona
Joined: 11 May 2005

Posts: 18

PostPosted: Fri 27 May, 2005 2:46 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thank you all for the advice, I've tried the steel wool and it's working quite nicely.
La Garde meurt, mais ne se rend pas!
View user's profile Send private message
Aaron Schnatterly




Location: New Glarus, WI
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Reading list: 67 books

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,244

PostPosted: Fri 27 May, 2005 3:14 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Michael Moss wrote:
Thank you all for the advice, I've tried the steel wool and it's working quite nicely.


Big Grin

You're welcome.

Now that you have it all nice and shiny again, you may want to protect it somehow. Wax it, for example. Renaissance Wax has been discussed on the forum, so if you search for that, it'll give you lots of discussion and information. Clear shoe polish or car wax would also probably work.

-Aaron Schnatterly
_______________

Fortior Qui Se Vincit
(He is stronger who conquers himself.)
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Steve Grisetti




Location: Orlando metro area, Florida, USA
Joined: 01 Mar 2004
Likes: 9 pages
Reading list: 28 books

Posts: 1,812

PostPosted: Fri 27 May, 2005 3:19 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Aaron Schnatterly wrote:
...Now that you have it all nice and shiny again, you may want to protect it somehow. Wax it, for example. Renaissance Wax has been discussed on the forum, so if you search for that, it'll give you lots of discussion and information. Clear shoe polish or car wax would also probably work.

Highland Hardware is my favorite great source for Renaissance Wax: www.tools-for-woodworking.com/index.asp
View user's profile Send private message


Display posts from previous:   
Forum Index > Off-topic Talk > Polishing a brass guard
Page 1 of 1 Reply to topic
All times are GMT - 8 Hours

View previous topic :: View next topic
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum






All contents © Copyright 2003-2024 myArmoury.com — All rights reserved
Discussion forums powered by phpBB © The phpBB Group
Switch to the Basic Low-bandwidth Version of the forum