Use Renaissance Wax. I have an antique bronze Wolfman that I applied this to the day I received it. It looks identical now as when I got it. It is a highly regarded product.
Keeping a Brass Razor Shiny
- Thread starter Steve_in_CT
- Start date
lasta
Blade Biter
Bar Keepers Friend is heavy duty stuff! Will clean just about anything off brass, but will also melt away the surface layer!
I use it only for the really tough jobs like turning this:
Into this:
I would not recommend BKF for regular upkeep, it cleans, but doesn't shine. It basically dissolves the surface layer leaving a matte finish. Do NOT use BKF on gold plating, it will eat that away in seconds!
If you just want maintenance, basic metal polish will do, I use Autosol with a rag for application and microfiber cloth for buffing:
If you want more durability but don't want to pay for a full replating job, look on eBay for silver plating solution, or Google electroless silver plating. These are not expensive, silver usually degrades slower than bare brass, you can clean them with hot water/baking soda and aluminum foil. Plus you can experiment with two-tone looks!
I use it only for the really tough jobs like turning this:
Into this:
I would not recommend BKF for regular upkeep, it cleans, but doesn't shine. It basically dissolves the surface layer leaving a matte finish. Do NOT use BKF on gold plating, it will eat that away in seconds!
If you just want maintenance, basic metal polish will do, I use Autosol with a rag for application and microfiber cloth for buffing:
If you want more durability but don't want to pay for a full replating job, look on eBay for silver plating solution, or Google electroless silver plating. These are not expensive, silver usually degrades slower than bare brass, you can clean them with hot water/baking soda and aluminum foil. Plus you can experiment with two-tone looks!
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I use Nevr Dull on my CB antenna, never thought to use it on a razor.
I did, however try the old myth about soaking copper in Coca Cola overnight. It came out with a uniform matte shine which I promptly shined up with Flitz.
I did, however try the old myth about soaking copper in Coca Cola overnight. It came out with a uniform matte shine which I promptly shined up with Flitz.
- Thread starter
- #24
I had a (very) old can of Brasso in my garage, and since I was curious I tried it on my razor. It certainly will clean it. Interestingly, like Bar Keeeper's Friend, it also contains oxalic acid. And it does polish as well as clean, so you can skip using a polish like Flitz. But it is petroleum based with a strong and (to me) offensive smell. When I was done, I didn't like the idea of sliding something across my face that had been rubbed in a bad smelling, petroleum based cleaner, so I went back to my Bar Keepers Friend/Flitz routine. And it still smelled! I washed it thoroughly in some soap and water and I'm sure it will be fine, but I won't be using Brasso again on any razors.
Does Coke Zero work, too?
- Thread starter
- #26
I didn't find that Flitz would easily remove water marks from my brass Christopher Bradley razor. I can do it with Brasso, and I can do it with Bar Keeper's Friend - both of which contain oxalic acid. I'm pretty sure that NevrDull would work also, but as I said in an eariler post, naptha and petroleum based cleaners leave a residue with an unpleasant smell that makes me question whether this is an instrument that I want to slide around my face.
I'm sure you're correct in stating that oxalic acid dissolves some of the surface layer, but don't polishes abrade away some of that same surface level? In any event, a once per week or so cleaning during which the brass is exposed to the cleaner for a minute or so is not going to leave me with noticeable damage to the razor in my lifetime.
You guys using brass razors understand that brass gets wonky in a hurry? In re keeping them clean, pick your poison as to how you keep them clean but keeping them clean, you must. That's why razors are almost always plated. Far more sanitary.
- Thread starter
- #28
Can you define "wonky"? There is a theoretical, low-level risk of lead contamination, but keeping the razor clean wouldn't seem to mitigate that risk. From a sanitary perspective, I'm not sure why brass would be more problematic than unplated stainless steel, but I'm neither a biologist nor a metallurgist.
Neither am I (a biologist or metallurgist). I'm talking about the oxidation that takes place to brass that's not continually maintained and the mess it makes when polishing it. I'd mentioned my recent experience with the brassed Old Type that I reluctantly had replated. Had I not, it would have sat in it's case, unused. Now, it's in regular rotation. But cleaning it was a mess and not cleaning was not an option.
No idea. Sorry.
No worries, I wondered with WHAT in the coke it is supposed to react!
Good advice all around. If abrasive, stay away though.
You hate patina? Could it be due to spots and uneven patina rather than even mellowing of the brass? I have found that keeping brass shiny is too much trouble and I like even patina. Spots are easy to thwart if you thoroughly dry after use. Even patina can be achieved by regular use and a gentle rub with a soft rag or cloth. Patina can be beautiful and you can always polish it off. Here are pics of the transition from freshly shined to full blast patina on my custom tech (copper cap), and a pic of my engraved Wolfman with a bit of patina. If you keep the patina even with a light rub after each shave the yellow brass turns to gold.
You hate patina? Could it be due to spots and uneven patina rather than even mellowing of the brass? I have found that keeping brass shiny is too much trouble and I like even patina. Spots are easy to thwart if you thoroughly dry after use. Even patina can be achieved by regular use and a gentle rub with a soft rag or cloth. Patina can be beautiful and you can always polish it off. Here are pics of the transition from freshly shined to full blast patina on my custom tech (copper cap), and a pic of my engraved Wolfman with a bit of patina. If you keep the patina even with a light rub after each shave the yellow brass turns to gold.
No worries, I wondered with WHAT in the coke it is supposed to react!
Phosphoric and carbonic acids.
O.H.
resurrecting this thread for a quick question - if you get brass to a mirror-like (or close to it) shine, after it patinas, is it possible to bring it back to that same mirror-like shine with just a vinegar bath?
I currently use a vinegar soak and it gets rid of the patina easily but it brings the razor to a matte finish because I never polished it. But if I did polish it, I realize it will still patina, but do I need to polish it again with abrasives to get it back to mirror or will the vinegar do the trick?
ETA - I did use a little flitz on it once but I don't think I got it to mirror, just to get some stains off and it was shinier but not mirror shiney...either way, vinegar just brings it to a matte-like finish.
I currently use a vinegar soak and it gets rid of the patina easily but it brings the razor to a matte finish because I never polished it. But if I did polish it, I realize it will still patina, but do I need to polish it again with abrasives to get it back to mirror or will the vinegar do the trick?
ETA - I did use a little flitz on it once but I don't think I got it to mirror, just to get some stains off and it was shinier but not mirror shiney...either way, vinegar just brings it to a matte-like finish.
I like a bit of patina on brass. Back when he had time and we were discussing material patina, James Dufour sent me some pics of brass baseplates to illustrate how they patina over time while stored, used, vs .polished. The bright yellow turns to a nice mellow golden patina as long as you use it regularly and dry thoroughly after the shave. Beware of water droplets since they will leave dark spots almost immediately. Try letting it go for awhile, you can always buff it back out.
Wow this old post showed up new in my inbox. Weird.
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