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Post by Pat on May 1, 2017 9:22:18 GMT -5
I had heard a lot of good things about Renaissance wax, so tried it on textured red brass disk earrings. Loved the shine and wanted to keep it. Wax did nothing. Have to clean with Sunshine Cloth every time I wear them --- almost daily.
I applied with a cloth, let set for a minute, wiped off. Buffed.
Suggestions? Thanks.
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Post by toiv0 on May 1, 2017 9:30:12 GMT -5
I had heard a lot of good things about Renaissance wax, so tried it on textured red brass disk earrings. Loved the shine and wanted to keep it. Wax did nothing. Have to clean with Sunshine Cloth every time I wear them --- almost daily. I applied with a cloth, let set for a minute, wiped off. Buffed. Suggestions? Thanks. I use the Renaissance wax when I send things out and if that doesn't work there is alway laquer. When I send out the brass and copper I use the wax. When I was in the army we shined and shined each time we wore any brass, so I am hoping someone here has a better suggestion.
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Don
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Post by Don on May 1, 2017 10:51:36 GMT -5
Wax does not prevent tarnish. It slows it down a little but that's about it. The best approach for copper and brass is to simply understand that you are going to have to polish these items every time you want to wear them if you want them bright and shiny. Clear coats of any kind simply do not last, believe me, I've tried everything. The only alternative that does not tarnish is gold.
ren wax fingernail polish protect-a-clear clear-guard clear ceramic engine coating clear enamael spray acrylic spray 2 part epoxy polyurethane urethane lacquer permalac
They all fail eventually. Rings are particularly brutal on clear coatings. Best solution: polish daily or buy gold.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2017 12:18:05 GMT -5
Some brass alloys are very tarnish resistant, and I often wonder why more jewelers don't use them rather than just any old brass. Wax isn't going to give much protection, unless you never plan on touching the item again. There are brass coatings (everything from spray-on polymers, to bake-on types, to torch anodizing) that work for longer, but as Don mentioned, abrasion will eventually wear right through them and you will have to strip off the coating, re-polish, then re-apply. Coating might still be worth it for pieces that don't get rubbed or knocked around a lot. Look for a coating that produces a very thin layer (too thick, and the item begins to look like paint rather than polished metal), removes easily (i.e., without resorting to anything too toxic), and follow the directions exactingly (especially for cleaning prior to coating). I also agree that for frequently worn rings, one is going to quickly tire of stripping and recoating every month or so.
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Don
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Post by Don on May 1, 2017 13:02:41 GMT -5
I've used red brass aka jewelers brass - 85% Copper, 15% zinc and Yellow Brass/cartridge brass 70% copper, 20% zinc, and both readily tarnish.
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Post by toiv0 on May 1, 2017 13:11:03 GMT -5
Some brass alloys are very tarnish resistant, and I often wonder why more jewelers don't use them rather than just any old brass. Wax isn't going to give much protection, unless you never plan on touching the item again. There are brass coatings (everything from spray-on polymers, to bake-on types, to torch anodizing) that work for longer, but as Don mentioned, abrasion will eventually wear right through them and you will have to strip off the coating, re-polish, then re-apply. Coating might still be worth it for pieces that don't get rubbed or knocked around a lot. Look for a coating that produces a very thin layer (too thick, and the item begins to look like paint rather than polished metal), removes easily (i.e., without resorting to anything too toxic), and follow the directions exactingly (especially for cleaning prior to coating). I also agree that for frequently worn rings, one is going to quickly tire of stripping and recoating every month or so. any idea which brass alloys are tarnish resistant?
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Post by rockjunquie on May 1, 2017 15:07:40 GMT -5
I find that the additives in a sunshine polishing cloth offers the same protective.
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Post by Pat on May 1, 2017 16:08:38 GMT -5
Has anyone used EVERBRITE? ProtectaClear?
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Don
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Post by Don on May 1, 2017 18:03:11 GMT -5
Has anyone used EVERBRITE? ProtectaClear? have used both products. Good for low skin contact, low abrasion contact items. long term, I've still had pieces tarnish through the coating, requiring removal with harsh chemical strippers and re-coating. Protectaclear is tougher than everbrite, everbrite is supposed to preserve the bright colors of flame patinas, but items still lost the bright reds, blues and purple hues when I tried it and just turned orange and sliver. make sure the item is extremely clean prior to coating. Dip in a solvent like denatured alcohol or acetone and don't touch it. spray with several light coats. Allow to fully cure prior to handling. make sure you're spraying in a well ventilated, dust free environment. I still feel that hand polishing is the best long term way to go.
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Post by Pat on May 1, 2017 18:51:03 GMT -5
Don looks like the bottom line is to use Sunshine Cloth or similar frequently. Is that right? Thanks.
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Don
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Post by Don on May 1, 2017 19:10:13 GMT -5
Don looks like the bottom line is to use Sunshine Cloth or similar frequently. Is that right? Thanks. In my opinion, yes.
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quartz
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Post by quartz on May 1, 2017 22:28:35 GMT -5
Regarding the question about some brass alloys being much more tarnish resistant than others, I think maybe they are actually bronze alloys, made up of copper and tin rather than copper and zinc. Appearance is much the same but the material is much tougher and tarnish resistant.
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Post by Pat on May 1, 2017 22:42:28 GMT -5
quartz. What are these alloys called? I'd like to order some.
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quartz
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Post by quartz on May 2, 2017 9:16:58 GMT -5
Pat, bronze, as with brass, has a multitude of alloys. Perhaps starting here will give you some insight as to type and availability: www.thoughtco.com/bronze-composition-and-properties-603730. A call to a non-ferrous metal supplier might get you recommendations as to the type that will work best for your needs.
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Don
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Post by Don on May 2, 2017 11:55:23 GMT -5
If there was a better option for brass jewelry making, wouldn't the major jewelry making supply companies be selling it already?
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Post by toiv0 on May 2, 2017 18:47:45 GMT -5
Brass is a lot harder to work than bronze. Here is one site that carries bronze. A lot of people cast.bronze. I did meet a guy who fabricated it. I couldn't find his card though
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2017 12:13:17 GMT -5
any idea which brass alloys are tarnish resistant? There are quite a few produced by Asian manufacturers, and they do stay bright. I've seen both resistant alloys sold as "Anti-tarnish Brass" in findings and similar items (though sometimes you find anti-tarnish and tarnish resistant terms used to describe things which have been coated or plated). I don't think these are particularly new formulations, and suspect that at least some of the tarnish resistant alloys add a bit of aluminum, nickel, or other metal capable of forming and maintaining a stable oxide film on the surface to keep the copper from oxidizing (similar to the germanium used in tarnish resistant silver alloys). I recall exterior brass water spigots on a house many decades ago that stayed bright after years of use. You may also recall a big flap a few years ago about Chinese brass (being sold as "gold") that contained cadmium. Other than knowing that some jewelry manufacturers do use tarnish resistant brass alloys, I've no idea about what ductility and other properties they might have when working with/forming.
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