hey all. I am trying to clean some old oxidized front door hardware, and sand and stain the door. I tried the vinegar and salt method, plus some metal polisher which removed some tarnish, but also seemed to remove some coating as well. It looks like splotches of silver showing through.

Is is this beyond repair? I don't think brasso will bring this back. I am considering painting with a high quality liquid gold paint, sending it out for replating, or buying new. But just curious if there is any repair method or if I've ruined the pieces.

 

I think it looks good, I wouldn't touch it.

If anything, clean it and apply an aging solution, but I'd be too worried to ruin it.

 

Brasso.

 

No go on brasso. But bar keepers friend. Wow!! Needs a lot of elbow grease. This is 30 minutes of scrubbing

 

 

Dremel plus bar keepers friend is a winning combo for polishing up just about anything.

 

Now find the local Powder Coat place and have them finished in clear.

 

Someone else said I should add a sealant. Although I'm not sure if Ive made the metal more vunerable.

I found online a product called Everbrite. Any reccs?

 

Brass usually doesn't have a sealant as people like that sort of character you get with aged brass. You can shoot it with a poly clear if you want, it won't affect the metal and will prolong the time it stays shiny. You didn't make the metal more vulnerable by polishing it as brass isn't like headlight lenses in that it doesn't have a coating on it, they just oxidize with time and the surface is the first to go. Polishing removes that fine layer of oxidized material and starts the process over again.