Removing heavy tarnish from brass

[Ed ke6bnl]

PS - It took me a while to figure out that the blindingly white object in your first photo was the lid ... reflecting light!
- John Herrmann


I thought it was some sort of gooseneck hitch

 

[homebrewed]

The dark patches in your bowl probably just are rough spots rather than any significant corrosion. The patches scatter light so they look dark. They likely will polish out, if you care to take the time to do it.

That said, I too am surprised that a vinegar-salt mix can attack stainless to any extent. Who'd a thunk it??

 

[savarin]

Bummer about your bowl. I wonder if there was some galvanic action going on between the copper and the (chromium rich) stainless steel.

I am testing this at the moment, sort of, its not the same stainless so may not do anything.
Its soaking overnight, if theres no change I will lay a bit of copper on it.
I have a feeling that galvanic reactions are the culprit.

 

[savarin]

I couldnt replicate the process exactly so I'm thinking it was the fact that I heated the mixture to make it dissolve faster that sped up the galvanic reaction.
Just for information Brasso is a total waste of time, It did nothing, the weak mildly cloudy thin liquid that now called Brasso"
I seem to remember brasso as being a thick sludge in the can.

 

[hman]

OK, Charles ... I'm not trying to pull your chain. But I've bought Brasso recently, and though changed a bit (used to smell faintly of ammonia), it still works OK. And it was still relatively thick and creamy. So my question for you is, how well did you shake the container before pouring????

 

[savarin]

I thought very hard but I will poke the bottom of the tin to check.

 

[Bourbon]

It needs shaking until your arm feels like it is going to drop off...........Then shake it some more!