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Michael Moss
Location: Barcelona Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 18
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Posted: Thu 26 May, 2005 8:42 am Post subject: Polishing a brass guard |
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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!
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Aaron Schnatterly
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Posted: Thu 26 May, 2005 8:59 am Post subject: |
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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
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Fortior Qui Se Vincit
(He is stronger who conquers himself.)
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Patrick Kelly
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Posted: Thu 26 May, 2005 9:03 am Post subject: |
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Are you sure the gaurd isn't coated with something?
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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Michael Moss
Location: Barcelona Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 18
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Posted: Thu 26 May, 2005 9:17 am Post subject: |
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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!
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Patrick Kelly
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Posted: Thu 26 May, 2005 9:43 am Post subject: |
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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
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Michael Moss
Location: Barcelona Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 18
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Posted: Thu 26 May, 2005 9:52 am Post subject: |
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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!
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G. Scott H.
Location: Arizona, USA Joined: 22 Feb 2005
Posts: 410
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Posted: Thu 26 May, 2005 8:03 pm Post subject: |
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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.
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Michael Moss
Location: Barcelona Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 18
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Posted: Fri 27 May, 2005 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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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!
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Aaron Schnatterly
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Posted: Fri 27 May, 2005 3:14 pm Post subject: |
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Michael Moss wrote: | Thank you all for the advice, I've tried the steel wool and it's working quite nicely. |
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.)
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Steve Grisetti
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Posted: Fri 27 May, 2005 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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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
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