Finishing Brass and Copper - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Ghostuser · 20th Oct 2012, 5:16 pm

Any ideas on how to achieve the 'antique' brass and copper finish on early candlestick phones please? I see that dealers often polish them up, but that looks too gaudy for me.
Regards
Nigel

20th Oct 2012, 6:17 pm

Simple, use it for 20 years! There are 'antiquing' fluids available I think they look false.

Framer Dave · 20th Oct 2012, 6:46 pm

Hello Nigel,

Have a look here. These products are substitutes for Liberon products which I have used for many years.

http://www.tryrelics.co.uk/search.thtml

Regards,

60 oldjohn · 20th Oct 2012, 8:10 pm

I would have thought a coloured Lacquer. Best person to ask is our clock expert Mike Phelan.
John.

Ghostuser · 21st Oct 2012, 10:03 am

Thanks for the help on this one. I will go for the antique finishing liquid replacing the liberon product. If I can't get my Peel-Connor candlestick phone working at least I can get it looking right.
Nigel

Mike Phelan · 21st Oct 2012, 12:25 pm

Clock material dealers such as Meadows and Passmore supply lacquers of various shades from clear to deep gold. They are applied warm.

The finish on some brass items such as the pins on 13 amp plug tops are treated with a dip of chromic acid (H2CrO4) for a few seconds then washed and followed by a dip of nitric acid (HNO3). This gives a finish that lasts for years without lacquering.

Don't try this at home.

alanworland · 21st Oct 2012, 5:49 pm

I used to regulary polish (Brasso) our letterbox, door handle, bell push etc but then I didn't do it for a while and obviously it went 'off colour'
I now use a Simoniz wax polish very infrequently which has achieved a nice lustre on the tarnished finish which looks far better than the gaudy look!
Let them discolour naturally - I think humidity helps.

Alan

Sega radio · 22nd Oct 2012, 7:27 pm

As odd as it sounds you could try popping into your local modelshop and asking them, as with railway and wargame modelling there's often pieces that people want to age.

I can actually mimic rust to the point people don't believe me when I tell them its actually paint; there is more than likely something available that will mimic the oxidisation of brass.

emeritus · 22nd Oct 2012, 9:32 pm

I saw a programme a few years ago about fakers. If I remember rightly, an effective way to make new brass- and copperware items look antique was to bury them in damp earth in the garden for a couple of weeks. I haven't tried it myself: possibly the type of soil [acid or alkaline] would affect the outcome.

20th Oct 2012, 5:16 pm	#1
Ghostuser Pentode Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Alton, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 137	Finishing Brass and Copper Any ideas on how to achieve the 'antique' brass and copper finish on early candlestick phones please? I see that dealers often polish them up, but that looks too gaudy for me. Regards Nigel

20th Oct 2012, 6:17 pm	#2
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Finishing Brass and Copper Simple, use it for 20 years! There are 'antiquing' fluids available I think they look false.

20th Oct 2012, 6:46 pm	#3
Framer Dave Rest in Peace Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Near Wrecsam, North Wales Posts: 356	Re: Finishing Brass and Copper Hello Nigel, Have a look here. These products are substitutes for Liberon products which I have used for many years. http://www.tryrelics.co.uk/search.thtml Regards,

20th Oct 2012, 8:10 pm	#4
60 oldjohn Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 3,987	Re: Finishing Brass and Copper I would have thought a coloured Lacquer. Best person to ask is our clock expert Mike Phelan. John. Last edited by 60 oldjohn; 20th Oct 2012 at 8:18 pm.

21st Oct 2012, 10:03 am	#5
Ghostuser Pentode Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Alton, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 137	Re: Finishing Brass and Copper Thanks for the help on this one. I will go for the antique finishing liquid replacing the liberon product. If I can't get my Peel-Connor candlestick phone working at least I can get it looking right. Nigel

21st Oct 2012, 12:25 pm	#6
Mike Phelan Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Near Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK Posts: 4,609	Re: Finishing Brass and Copper Clock material dealers such as Meadows and Passmore supply lacquers of various shades from clear to deep gold. They are applied warm. The finish on some brass items such as the pins on 13 amp plug tops are treated with a dip of chromic acid (H2CrO4) for a few seconds then washed and followed by a dip of nitric acid (HNO3). This gives a finish that lasts for years without lacquering. Don't try this at home. __________________ Mike.

21st Oct 2012, 5:49 pm	#7
alanworland Heptode Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Southend, Essex, UK. Posts: 802	Re: Finishing Brass and Copper I used to regulary polish (Brasso) our letterbox, door handle, bell push etc but then I didn't do it for a while and obviously it went 'off colour' I now use a Simoniz wax polish very infrequently which has achieved a nice lustre on the tarnished finish which looks far better than the gaudy look! Let them discolour naturally - I think humidity helps. Alan

22nd Oct 2012, 7:27 pm	#8
Sega radio Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Stevenage, Hertfordshire Posts: 133	Re: Finishing Brass and Copper As odd as it sounds you could try popping into your local modelshop and asking them, as with railway and wargame modelling there's often pieces that people want to age. I can actually mimic rust to the point people don't believe me when I tell them its actually paint; there is more than likely something available that will mimic the oxidisation of brass. Last edited by Mike Phelan; 23rd Oct 2012 at 9:36 am. Reason: Typos corrected.

22nd Oct 2012, 9:32 pm	#9
emeritus Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Brentwood, Essex, UK. Posts: 5,339	Re: Finishing Brass and Copper I saw a programme a few years ago about fakers. If I remember rightly, an effective way to make new brass- and copperware items look antique was to bury them in damp earth in the garden for a couple of weeks. I haven't tried it myself: possibly the type of soil [acid or alkaline] would affect the outcome.