So, yesterday I was supposed to fix up a Bach Bundy trumpet for a friend, and I did. But I also ended up messing up quite a bit of the about 50 year old lacquer in a vinegar bath on his horn.
This got me thinking about toying around with some of my own old cheap horns and possibly removing the lacquer and try to make a brushed brass finish, which I think looks nice in general.
Are there any successful stories here on TubeNet and good DIY hints how to make a good looking brush finish with tools and stuff you can find around the house? Or good horror stories to stop me from testing?
BBb Tuba with 4 Rotors -
TE-2110 (2009) + TE Rose
Mack 210 (2011) + Bruno Tilz NEA 310 M0
G. Schneider (Made in GDR, 1981?) + Conn Helleberg 120S
I earn my living as an Electrical Engineer - Designing Power systems for buildings
On a couple of my old, but trusty, raw brass horns, Brasso and OOOO steel wool gives a nice satiny finish. Though by rubbing hard with the 0000 steel wool you can get a nice "burnished" glow to the brass. This will not however be anything like the mirror effect from a color buffing. The trick there is to do it only after any metal polish has been removed and the surface is dry. A wet surface lessens the friction needed in the burnishing process. I have also used Bon Ami with a Scotch Brite pad. the pad, unlike steel wool, will leave a scratched effect, which if done with some aesthetic touch can produce a nice effect. Those scratches are hard to remove. Steel wool for the most part does not remove metal but rather burnishes it. Brasso and other abrasives will remove a slight amount from the surface as will various forms of abrasive papers and emory cloths. There are also brass burnishing brushes and wheels that can be attached to a hand drill, but that is difficult to get into real tight spaces but would be good for cleaning grooves such as around ferules and soldered joints etc. It might be best to try it on an area that is not so noticable. I just Brasso & steel wooled an old ugly King recording bass last week. It took about 4 hours and I feel that more attention would have been a good thing. I used it on a Dixie gig and it proved a bit hit - visually - clean and polished - but still a little "funky" looking.
Wessex 5/4 CC "Wyvern"
Wessex 4/4 F "Berg"
Wessex Cimbasso F
Mack Euphonium
Mack Bass Trombone
Conn 5V Double Bell Euphonium (casually for sale to an interested party)
i have frequently used ammonia for chem cleaning tuning slides, valves etc. but the catch is to clean/neutralize afterward. same issue with using brasso, a bath with a mild detergent also removes residue that collects dirt and also transfers to clothes and skin. the same applies when using a silver polish in regards to bathing the horn and getting that film removed.
brasso is rough - i use it for lapping tuning slides and bearings on rotarys. i had an old king tuba from 1940 where the bell engraving was virtually worn off from polishing. So yes! use brasso carefully. but it does have its uses.
a 'clean horn' is a 'happy horn.'
Wessex 5/4 CC "Wyvern"
Wessex 4/4 F "Berg"
Wessex Cimbasso F
Mack Euphonium
Mack Bass Trombone
Conn 5V Double Bell Euphonium (casually for sale to an interested party)
