Thread: Best thing for cleaning brass?

What do you use for cleaning the brass on your hand tools?

I've tried "Brasso" and although it works, it seems a bit abrasive for mine.

I've also tried the good old Ubeaut EEE. This also works if applied with 0000 gauge steel wool and a bit of elbow grease.

So come on all you darksiders.
What is your favorite product for cleaning your brass?

Best thing for cleaning brass is white metal polish stick on a cloth buffing wheel on my bench grinder! If Brasso is a bit rough, I would suspect the cloth you're using, not the polish.
Cheers
Graeme

Hard to beat Brasso, very fine abrasive, we used to use it to cut and polish the paintwork on our cars in the dark ages.Still use it to get a high gloss on small painted items.

If you want to be realy basic, mix some salt and vinegare and rub the brass hard with a cloth moistened in the solution, very good on copper as well.

Paddy

Originally Posted by craigb

What do you use for cleaning the brass on your hand tools?

I just use plain steel wool ( 0000) by itself. Polishes it very well without any scratching.

Peter.

I don't think I've ever cleaned a tool with anything in my life. :confused:

Wipped them down with a little oil on occation to stop rust. Run a brush through them sometimes so I can sight the blade better.

You blokes !... and your precious tools. I don't know ....

There's a mag wheel cleaner that comes in a tin full of wadded cotton. I can't remember what it's called, but it's very mild and works great on ally and brass. And you just stick the used bits back in the can for later.

Either that, or #1000 wet and dry, used dry if I don't want or need a polished surface.

That wadded cotton in the tin is called "Nev-R-Dull", works a treat on non-anodised aluminium, never tried it on brass. The best all-around polish in my shop is Auto-Sol chrome polish, comes in a tube at your local shiny car stuff store. It works very well on brass and alloy, steel too. I even use it on strops for honing, works as well or better than the Veritas green stick.

Autosol is excellent.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I use silvo or the polishing cloths from Lie Neilsen. The cloths polished up a brass canon quiet quickly.

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Autosol is excellent.

Regards from Perth

Derek

certainly is, it breaks down as you use it the harder and longer you work it the finer it gets.
Tip, use a piece of leather as a rag only soaks it away.

Thanks for that.

Guess I'll try and get some Autosol.

Carigb,

I use a product called Renaissance Wax, excellent stuff, if a little expensive -but it really works. It is good because it is safe to use timber and all types of metal, in fact I use it on my old wooden planes.
I find it a real hassle when you are trying to clean something, but worry that it will get on the timber and stain it. With this stuff you don't need to worry it goes on both.
If you want to read about this stuff you can see it here:
http://www.tools-for-woodworking.com...OD&ProdID=1304
I got it from a guy in Melbourne, will supply you the details if you are interested.
Anthony

Yes it looks pretty good.
Does it clean as well as polish?

How much is it? The website said $19.99 but I assume that that is $US.

Cheers
Craig

Try Kitten #2 Cut & Polish car stuff. I polished 4 large ships bells that had not been seen to in over 10 years. They came up a treat!!

Originally Posted by Pat

I use silvo or the polishing cloths from Lie Neilsen. The cloths polished up a brass canon quiet quickly.

Is your brass cannon set up on a hill incase oz gets invaded/