Hello everyone, Friend experts forum I acquired a Petromax 826 BRASS which is the best manner of cleaning for brass? - hot water + citric acid - vinegar + salt + hot water - put for 10 minutes in a basin containing hot water and Marseilles soap or, failing this, dishwashing detergent - If the brass is very dirty or oxidized soak it in a solution of hot water and ammonia for 15 minutes, gently rubbing grooves and inlaid with a soft toothbrush - a slice of lemon previously dipped in hot vinegar salt and then we wash well. - use a batter of flour, salt and vinegar. - mix half a cup of white vinegar, the juice of one lemon, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid unconcentrated. - The spots d'oxide can be treated with a hot solution of 3 parts of water, and 1 white vinegar, let it dry completely and then rinse. - To remove verdigris you can rub the affected areas with cotton soaked in alcohol and then switch the red wine. - The blackened brass can also clean with yogurt leaving it 10 minutes. - Polishing can be performed with toothpaste and a soft cloth in a circular motion and then rinse to remove residue and dry thoroughly. - To protect the brass, you can wipe with linseed oil with a soft cloth. Which of these methods is SAFE Do you know other methods? Sorry for bad english
Ciao! Greetings form Ireland. It really depends on how badly the lamp is tarnished. Normally a bit of metal polish like Brasso on a cloth works fine. For the smaller bits I use an ultra sonic cleaner with 50/50 vinegar and water. Be careful when using vinegar as it has a tendency to bring the copper in the brass to the surface some how, if this happens you will need to polish it off.
You will get much advice form here. But DO NOT use ammonia. If it were me, I would; 1. Clean it first with hot water and detergent 2. If it then needs further cleaning, use 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water for 20mins. Don't leave for to long.Don't let the brass go "copper-coloured". Some people use dilute citric acid: the same rule applies: don't let the brass go copper coloured. 3. If you want to polish it, use a gentle metal polish (not Brasso) that does not have ammonia. I use "Autosol" which is available in Europe. 4. After polishing, to protect the brass, I use a clear automotive lacquer, VHT-brand Clear Coat, which is sprayed on. That means you dont have to regularly re-polish the tank.
Sorry, eiremax our posts crossed in the ether... I don't use Brasso because I'm told that it has ammonia in it... Cheers Tony
hello 1/ if very dirty, i use salt and hot vinager with a brush 2/ If only oxidised a little ; a bath in 5 % acid citric/hot water. I put the spares in a microwave oven to hot a little (the time depends on oxidation level) 3/ and after I quench in a ultrasonic cleaner (only with water)in order to clean the brass/copper deposit. 4/ when the parts are dry, I rub/shine with iron wool. The iron wool exists in several thicknesses and will remove the pink copper coloration. for the results : have a look here ;-) http://0flo.com/index.php?threads/7247
Hello everyone thank you valuable advice, are welcome. here are some photos of the lamp (captured in a hurry) advice advice advice thanks thanks
I use T-Cut... works on both painted and unpainted brass. Be very careful with any decals though as it will remove them if you rub too hard. I then follow that up with a good car wax/polish.
Or maybe even leave it as it is? There is a lovely patina on it. If it was me that is what I would do.
I looks good as is a good clean and some wax as suggested, you can always go for the shiny shop look later if you change your mind later,
I would also give it a good clean and leave the patina as it is. However, to get it functioning properly you can treat some parts (in particular the vaporizer, jet and pump valve) a bit more exhaustive, e.g. thinned citric acid, steel brush, ultrasonic cleaner etc. And of course replace the worn/hardened seals/gaskets. BR, Martin
I recently purchased Autosol Metal polish in a paste form. This was packaged in a plastic screw top container. On opening it, there was a very strong Ammonia smell. As Tony said, avoid anything with ammonia, and be careful what you are using.
... I had always thought that Autosol did not have ammonia in it. But this MSDS says that it contains
If ammonia (NH3) gets in contact with water (H2O) it dissolves into NH4 + OH. That's why it gets alkaline (OH). And exactly this is what removes the oxyde from brass, copper and the like. You could also use caustic soda (NaOH). If the ammonia gets in contact with brass it will spread/creep into the metal along the crystal boundaries, react with some oxyde, swell, and break up the metal, possibly causing stress cracks, or at least increasing existing defects. Therefore I'd recommend to use caustic soda rather than agents containing ammonia, regardless to which extent. Any acid will also remove the oxyde, but has the disadvantage to dissolve the metal as well, therefore etching the material. You can see it very well when brass gets a copper colour when put into acid, because the zinc dissolves easier than the copper. BR, Martin
Hmphh... I've used Autosol as recently as today... Thinks i'll give everything a good scrub in detergent and try T-cut (assume this has no amonia)... As for wax polish, I have a small tub of stuff called Renaissance Wax, which is supposed to be non acidic and is said to have been developed for museum exhibits - this is the crib sheet: http://www.picreator.co.uk/articles/11_an_important_message.htm
I am suspicious of all metal polishes as they must have something in them to dissolve the oxide and if it will dissolve the oxide then it will probably attack the metal as well.
Even if there was nothing in the polish that would attack the metal chemically then any abrasive present would remove some. Even if there was no abrasive present either (and that would be an odd sort of polish) then friction will remove some metal. You can't win...
T-Cut original contains less than 1% ammonia... The ammonia is incidental; the main cleaning ingrediants being petroleum based in a very fine slightly abrasive substrate.
Amonia is strongish alkaline, so IF using it, then it should be washed away as quick and carefully possible with a acid like vinegar and after that Again carefully with Water to prevent it from working on in the small microscopic cracks. The human body releases amonia all the time and in ex. some licorice there is up to 8% amoniasalt inside. So Gneiss's T-cut shouldnt have much effect if the cleaning stuff is carefully removed after, compared to a licorice-eating guy moving around at home releasing amonia-breath in a lampstuffed room Claus C
I think I will try a new approach to cleaning brass this evening, starting with placing a tilley' with a polished tank on the hearth, firing it up, then opening a bottle of wine and a pack of strong salted liquorice By around midnight the Wine will be finished, the room will be filled with my amonia-salt laden breath, which will have cleaned the tank of the lamp - and I will be nicely 'merry'
Appreciate the further suggestions guys... I'm also pleased to report that from where I am sitting now, next to an empty Merlot bottle and a the remains of a bowl of salted liquorice - the old Tilley' looks brighter than ever... hic'
Hello everyone from the sun and the heat of Sicily (Sunday just 30 degrees Celsius). See http://www.palermotoday.it/cronaca/mondello-caldo -record-30-... I did not expect so many many many suggestions. Super thanks to all. I will try to implement your suggestions welcome Merry Christmas to all
Off topic alert!!! As David has taken this discussion in a certain direction, here is a collection of Australian expressions for said item: Dunny; loo; thunderbox; longdrop; outhouse; bog; crapper; throne; reading room;sh*thouse; schizer; WC(a modern term); ... there are more ...
Ahh understand. I heared of a Cook once who stuck it in the potatopeeler once. The got both fired. Claus C
