Brass lamp refurbishment

R

RobBrown

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 Nov 2005
Messages
1,071
Location
Oxford,UK.
Visit site
Just purchased some second hand Vetus brass 12v articulated reading lamps. Unfortunately they were much more tarnished and marked than I had hoped. One has a large area where the bright brass looks to have disappeared and one even has patches of verdigris.What is the best way of restoring these at home, short of passing over to a professional. I assume just polishing with Brasso is not the complete answer, but grateful for any other suggestions .
 
I tend to polish things with a polishing mop mounted on an old drill I mount in a vice. You use polishing soap and it is VERY effective. A simple kit is available from Axminster Power Tools (mine was a Christmas present.)

The harder (brown) polishing soap will deal with most things. If its struggling, try some very fine emery cloth - down to 1000 grade and then polish. The scratches from 1000 grade cloth will polish out easily with the soap and the rotating mop.

Once you've got thing shining nicely, you can spray it witrh clear lacquer - available from hobby shops and art suppliers or even maybe Halfords.

Or just use Brasso every few weeks...

I tend to dismantle things as much as possible when polishing them. The mop doesn't get into blind corners etc very well.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the suggestions John.

I have a Dremmel multi-tool and I think that has some polishing tools with it, tho never used them to date. I may try using those with some of that polishing soap, if I can source some. As one area on one lamp has completley lost any brass- just an absolutely matt dull brown patch, it may not work with that, but I will give it a go.
 
Just abrade all the laquer off, then clean up with progresively finer grade paper, then apply new laquer from an aerosol, or if you do not fancy that, apply varnish by brush.

Dependant on the degree of effort applied they will come out like new.
 
If they are brass, try rubbing the bad areas with salt and lemon juice, this will dissolve the green gunk without damaging the item as with grinding or sanding tools.

If it's very bad, soak it overnight.

Good luck.:)
 
capsco said:
Just abrade all the laquer off, then clean up with progresively finer grade paper, then apply new laquer from an aerosol, or if you do not fancy that, apply varnish by brush.

Dependant on the degree of effort applied they will come out like new.
Click to expand...
There was a time when I would have said exactly the same. I was then introduced to polishing felt disks/mops and cutting soap and polish. It is so easy and the finish is so good that I think if you tried it you would be converted to the technique as well. You get a deep lustre that almost no amount of brasso ever gets. As mentioned already its also very easy to do.
 
I thinks they are brass rather than brass coated as they are Vetus, which is usually considered a good make & B expensive new, but what do I know?! Pics:

Vetusbrasslamppics.jpg
[/IMG]

[/url]
Vetuspic2.jpg
[/IMG]
 
Last edited:
Thanks for all suggestions. I believe they are brass- I tried Old SaltOz's suggestion of lemon juice and salt on the lamps- took off the green verdigris on the more spotty tarnished of the two, but still looks prety bad, but the one with the large dull patch was a revelation- five mins rubbing this with the lemon juice and salt brought the patch up bright and shiny, tho the rest of the lamp didn't improve much. Haven't got any polishing soap as yet, but I do have some Autosol, which someone has suggested worth trying, so I will!

Brasso was a bit of a waste of time.
 
Looks like the laquer has worn through on the second pic which is why when you used the lemon it cleaned the actual brass up, the remaining parts of the lamps will need the laquer stripping off and repolishing to get the same finish as the bit you have already done - Hope that makes sense:)
 
Iona of Exe said:
Looks like the laquer has worn through on the second pic which is why when you used the lemon it cleaned the actual brass up, the remaining parts of the lamps will need the laquer stripping off and repolishing to get the same finish as the bit you have already done - Hope that makes sense:)
Click to expand...
I agree - and polishing/cutting compound (polishing soap as suggested) on a mop will get it all off very quickly and easily. Furthermore those lamps strip down to their component parts - they're the same ones we have.
 
Last edited:
RobBrown said:
Thanks for all suggestions. I tried Old SaltOz's suggestion of lemon juice and salt on the lamps- took off the green verdigris on the more spotty tarnished of the two, but still looks pretty bad, but the one with the large dull patch was a revelation- five mins rubbing this with the lemon juice and salt brought the patch up bright and shiny,
Brasso was a bit of a waste of time.
Click to expand...

Good to see the old fashioned methods still work. I plucked some ports off a wreck a few years back, covered in coral with only one tiny bit of timber left. chipped off what I could then soaked them for a few days, the lemon juice softened all the coral and removed all the corroded areas, considering the age they came up very well indeed.

BTW a sink filled with washing soda and a sheet of cooking foil do wonders for silver as well.
 
Finished product

On many threads people have said they would like to see the outcome of advice, so I though I'd post a pic here on the end result.

The Autosol worked very well indeed and helpful as I already had some at home. Most of the work was done by hand with a small Dremmel polishing head for the hard to remove areas. Quite hard work but very rewarding. I did buy some specialist brass lacquer( nothing available from Screwfix), but to be honest the finish was better before lacquering. I had two goes at this, first was very uneven, crazed in places and some runs and I think I applied it at fairly low temp, so removed with Acetone (wife's nail polish remover actually- she found out!) and second go much more gingerly with one pass coat in a warm room, but still a bit disappointed in the result, but much better than it was!

Vetuspolishlacq.jpg


Many thanks to all contributors:)
 
RobBrown said:
Part Quote: I did buy some specialist brass lacquer, but to be honest the finish was better before lacquering. I had two goes at this, first was very uneven, crazed in places and some runs and I think I applied it at fairly low temp, so removed with Acetone and second go much more gingerly with one pass coat in a warm room, but still a bit disappointed in the result, but much better than it was!
Click to expand...

Hi,
I kept all your really helpful inputs for the day I might need them and sure enough, that day arrived. I have 3 identical solid brass Vetus lamps to refurbish (and fit with LEDs).
I followed the polishing guidelines and was amazed by the excellent result (using the 2 stage Policraft brass polishing kit bought in Halfords).

However, the lacquering (using Halfords clear lacquer spray) is very disappointing and will have to be removed - it has dulled the finish and highlighted patches that I thought I had polished out.

Did I do something wrong?
Is there a more appropriate lacquer ?

All advice welcome!
Regards
Bob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top