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Hey folks,

So, in order to make our band look spiffy and shiny and such, we're hosting a few sessions of instrument polishing (along with adjoining shoe polishing, simple instrument repair, and fixing the guard equipment) for the 300-piece ensemble.

Now I know about lemon Pledge working well on most brass, and Windex sans ammonia working on Silver, but these have often been quick solutions to an ever-present problem of corrosion, fingerprints, and plenty of sticky staining from the case deterioration.

Are there other longer-term products that will yield a brighter shine and better protection on brass, and silver that you fine professionals could share here?

Thanks a bunch, folks!

I use Wright's Silver Cream, works very nice IMO. Brasso on raw brass though

I use blue magic liquid metal polish on my two silver horns cleans off heavy oxidation faster than silvo also a jewelry polishing cloth works fine too but you have to wipe with damp rag to stop the chemicle reaction to the metal after using cloth..........................................Bigbob http://www.rgisculptures.com" target="_blank

The Lemon Pledge and Windex are quick fixes, but there are better products for long-term care.

Lacquered brass instruments that come through my shop are ususally treated to polishing with Meguiar's Car Wax, and it doesn't have to be a special blend, just the stuff they sell everywhere (auto parts stores, Wal-Mart, etc.) If one takes the time to apply the wax and then rub it into the surface thoroughly, it will remove or minimize light scratches in the finish, making the lacquer look much better than it did.

For bright silver plating, Tarni-Shield polish by 3-M is the best I've found. There are others that do a good job, but this product does not scratch like Silvo can, and leaves a tarnish preventative on the surface to protect the instrument for months, whereas Silvo has no tarnish preventative. Wright's Silver Polish will work and does have a tarnish preventative, but it looks and smells like raw braunschweiger(liver sausage) to me. The Tarni-Shield actually smells decent, and is rather easy to use. Tarni-Shield is available at jewelry stores, and I've also bought it at Bed Bath & Beyond.

bloke wrote:
...and don't mask off the hardware on the cases...Just spray the entire case (making something of an effort to avoid an "direct hits" on the hardware) and go back with gasoline-on-a-rag and clean it off the hardware...It's about 20X as fast as masking.

With all of the new additives in gasoline, it is not safe to use it as a solvent any more. I am not sure which sort of paint thinner or solvent would be best for that particular paint - read the lable on the can!

Thanks a bunch, folks, for such speedy replies. I knew I could count on you!

As a follow-up, anyone know anything about polishing Cymbals? The percussion would like in on this little endeavor.

AdamSummoner wrote:Thanks a bunch, folks, for such speedy replies. I knew I could count on you!

As a follow-up, anyone know anything about polishing Cymbals? The percussion would like in on this little endeavor.

Brasso has been the standard for years. Spent many an hour with my cymbals and a can of brasso during my high school drum line days. There is a "special" cymbal cleaner out there but I've never tried it.

If I didn't want to use something like Brasso on my raw brass horn, what would other recommendations be? I have heard of Flitz and Blitz. Can anyone vouch for these? If not, I will use Brasso. My hesitation comes from the fact that it is an abrasive.

Hagerty's Silversmith Polish.

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Since we are working against the clock, and an extremely cheap budget, we decided to go with the Pledge and Windex w/o ammonia option for the time-being, setting to invest in stuff with preventative qualities in the future.

What are the risks of putting Pledge on Silver, and Windex on Brass?