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I have a tuba that is completely stripped of its lacquer and turning colors due to oxidation and skin oils and what not. How can I get this cleaned to where it can be lacquered so it won't look as terrible? It plays wonderful but I'm not big on looks I just want it not to rot away in a sense.

The patina that forms on the outside of a brass horn is actually somewhat protective. I'd be more worried about what it going on inside the horn.

I've often thought about putting 'spray bomb' clear lacquer OVER the patina might be a good way to go if 'bright and shiny' isn't necessary.

A few years back I saw a french horn that appeared to have been stripped, chemically "patina'd" to a variegated appearance, with a high-gloss clear lacquer. The colors were gorgeous.

There is another lacquer/raw brass post on here at the moment. I've had a number of raw brass tubas and have never had much luck getting a nice even brown patina on them. I've seen others that have achieved that nice patinated finish. Usually mine would just become a mess of streaks, spots of green corrosion, hand prints and stains from water that dripped from the lead pipe. So I would polish it about once a year or so and gave up on developing a patina.

The 64 dollar question: Is there a product that would artificially produce that nice brown patina on brass? Perhaps something like gun bluing or browning. I did find out the hardway when trying to degrease a "Brasso" job that dish detergent will dull newly polished brass. Would continued baths in detergent eventually result in patinization?

Anyone out there with experience?

Paul,

About 20 years ago I bought a bottle of stuff from an antique and replica lighting company down on the Bowery that creates an "instant patina" on new brass.

I don't think they are there anymore, but a Google search on vintage lighting might be a good start.

I will say here, however, that I used it on lighting fixtures, NOT A TUBA, so I am offering no advice whether or not it is suitable for such an application. If I recall correctly, the stuff was actually pretty toxic.

Thanks, will definitely hunt that down.

There have been a couple of threads on the trombone forum about the use of ammonia. If you search on ammonia they should come up...

Also consider Palmolive dishwashing liquid. If the label says what's in it, you're looking for sodium bisulphite. Haven't tried it.

Thanks for the help so far. Detergent seems the simplest so will try that on one of my horns and see how it goes.

I just want rid of the nastiness looking of it... I like the raw brass patina but the green and red spots that show up are not very attractive... I will try and post pictures soon.

also thank you for all the replys!!!!

greenbean wrote:There have been a couple of threads on the trombone forum about the use of ammonia. If you search on ammonia they should come up...

NO!

Ammonia has been tied to brass becoming brittle. That was discovered many years ago in the industries that reloaded brass shell casings for the military and used ammonia to clean with.

The compound to make 'instant patina' on brass is liver of sulfur. Don't expect to get a perfectly uniform finish without having the substrate perfectly even and clean to begin with.

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