Does anyone use Brasso to clean their aluminium Whistles?
On my factory finished brass tin whistles I always take the clear coat off with a fine wire wool, then polish once or twice with Brasso.
I think it improves the whole look of the whistle and the oxidation of the brass gives it the seasoned look.
but all personal tastes..
I wouldnt want to polish my aluminium Whistles often, but one need’s a good scrub! So would I damage it using Brasso?
If so,any reccomended alternitives?
Avoid any polish containing ammonia. You can tell by the smell. Brasso is one of these. Bon Ami scouring powder is also good. It continues to get finer on the cloth the more it is used, yielding a high polish. A specific aluminum polish like the automotive one should be better than Brasso.
Toothpaste … good old-fashioned white toothpaste … works like a charm - or from my motorcycling days, Solvol Autosol was the polish of choice for aluminium casings.
Bear in mind polished aluminium only stays like that for a relatively short period of time before re-oxidizing, if it’s not given some kind of protective coating.
I do use Simichrome (which has ammonia) on my shiny aluminum Burkes with no ill effects after 5 years. But I polish them very seldom, and find a chem cloth or jeweler’s cloth is usually all they need to stay tip-top.
As a protective coating, I’ve used Meguiar’s #26 Yellow Wax. But I usually don’t bother.
I’m sure the other suggestions here are good, too.
FWIW, I can also report that a year on from my pipes’ full polishing with Simichrome, the brass looks exactly as shiny as it did on day one.
I use the Nevr-dull polish. Gets my aluminum whistles looking spiffy. But as mentioned in the link above it’s a good idea to thoroughly wash the whistles afterwards to remove any residue which can cause streaking.
Personally I don’t clean my whistles with anything other than soap and water when required. I like the ‘distressed’ look acquired from regular playing.
I wonder if you can buy pre-distressed whistles like you can guitars?
