My first Mellow D was looking dingy and I read on the board that you could use simple vinegar and salt to polish it and liven it up. Well…I did that, using an old rag, vinegar and salt, and it came out really shiny and I was happy. I rinsed it off under the tap to get the salt off, because I know you should do that. But today I picked it up and there are ugly green spots all over it and even orange-ish smears, but the orange didn’t show up well enough when I scanned it.
:roll: My, my… what do they teach them in high schools, nowadays?
What you made is oxyde. Vinegar is the most direct method to oxyde the copper in brass (or “nickel silver”, as well). The green spots are copper oxyde, or verdigris. Watch out, it is a rather serious poison if ingested. The uneveness of the result indicates you probably applied the salt and vinegar separately, or let it dip dry after uncomplete rinsing.
A “natural” cleanser is salt and vinegar awright. But one should heat the vinegar to boiling point, then fully dissolve the salt in it.
You could still use this mixture to clean the mess.
After which, use dtergent and cold water to clean then rinse throughly the whistle. Then wipe it dry. Finally, any good household furniture wax will protect the brass from subsequent tarnishing.
Now, why use such complicated 19th century recipes when there are excellent brass cleaning/polishing/protecting pastes available in any store around the corner? A risk from poisoning? Quite limited if you buff carefully the metal after polishing, and after all the piece you put in your mouth is plastic.
Beside, if one compared the toxicity of modern household cleansers vs the little chemical reaction you made with acid and chlore (i.e. vinegar + salt)…
I’m afraid it was probably my recent post on vinegar and salt cleaning copper and brass that you read.
Zubivka was correct that heating the vinegar and thoroughly dissolving the salt in it would be best, but hot vinegar smells like… hot vinegar!
I keep a small sealed glass jar of the solution handy to dip my Copperheads in from time to time, and I also dip a soft cloth in it and polish brass shafts when they need it… but always, ALWAYS, ALWAYS be certain to very thoroughly rinse off the solution afterwards.
My, my… what do they teach them in high schools, nowadays?
I never really went to high school.
Now, why use such complicated 19th century recipes when there are excellent brass cleaning/polishing/protecting pastes available in any store around the corner?
Excellent point…maybe if you are wanting to be traditional to the most ridiculous degree?
Actually, on that point, has anyone ever used a wood-ash and water paste to polish silver? I heard somewhere that it makes a lovely satin finish on the metal.
you can give a high, durable, polish to brass using just ashes (be it wood or… tobacco). I used it on an almost dry piece of rag (spit, dip…) to clean brass buttons * . For intricate engravings or patterns, a toothbush is OK but engraved Waltons’ are scarce…
PS: I thought that Ochside appeared only on Clarke’s whistles ?
My, my… what do they teach them in boot camp, nowadays?
