How to clean the ship's bell

emandvee44

emandvee44

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 Nov 2008
Messages
1,256
Location
From: Plymouth, living in Europe Mainland
Visit site
Bought the bell recently from a very large UK chandler and after a short exposure to sea air there was considerable tarnishing. I have tried brasso, and other metal cleaners, and even creme cleaner - all to no avail. Any suggestions before I send it back?

Cheers,

Michael.
 
Last edited:
When new, it would have been lacquered. The tarnish is probably under the lacquer. You'd need to strip the lacquer off to clean it properly, then keep cleaning it regularly. I'd take it home instead; there's enough to do on a boat without polishing bells!
 
It appears to have been lacquered; you won't have any luck polishing it until the lacquer is removed, as salt water has penetrated and done its work.
 
Soak offending bell in acetone or better yet, laquer thinners (hence the name)...
Then you'll be commiting to a loooong forever of polishing your new brass, but at you'll have a properly nautical-looking bell. Nothing shrieks POSER more than laquered brass afloat, IMHO, whereas polished brass looks far more proper, especially if it has the slightly worn in look that shows you are too busy enjoying luxury yachting to be arsed with buffing the bell.
You're never going to have real golden brass aboard unless you 24K plate your brass, btw, unless you OWN the Navy! That way you have endless droves of killicks to polish brass and your brass will look fabulous forever!
Just saying!
 
Michael

Don't wish to make you unhappy, but I am fairly certain that is not solid brass as, if you look at the engraving, you can see base metal in the detail of the engraving.

Now that begs the question of what the plated layer is. Using a solvent to remove any laquer might produce micro-scratches through the plating layer.

From experience, the best guys to ask about cleaning brass are antiques people. Try Riggy ? (Though he'll probably say lemon juice, brasso and vodka. But drink the vodka first)

VicS will know about the plating side.
 
sarabande said:
Michael

Don't wish to make you unhappy, but I am fairly certain that is not solid brass as, if you look at the engraving, you can see base metal in the detail of the engraving.

......
Click to expand...

Not sure about that, looks to me that the engraved bit has just corroded differently due to a different surface finish.
Perhaps abrade inside or in the engraving to see what the core metal is, you can always fill the engraving with paint.
I have a fairly similar bell that was not expensive, it is solid brass I believe.

If it is solid brass, I would strip the lacquer with nitromors, then polish with solvol autosol. you might start with fine wet/dry paper, wet, if the tarnish is deeper.
then either keep it polished, re-lacquer it or allow it to tarnish evenly....
 
Polishing the bell

http://www.force4.co.uk/2661/Force-4-Ship-s-Bells-5--brass.html

Thanks for all the suggestions - looks like a lot of work ahead.
I hope the link works (link virgin), so you can see the source, and it clearly says 'brass' (and it does sound nice)

I agree it seems to be lacquered, so that has to come off so that the real brass colour will be revealed. I don't mind a bit of polishing from time to time, and as we have a removable mounting it is normally stowed below.

Thanks again,

Michael.
 
emandvee44 said:
http://www.force4.co.uk/2661/Force-4-Ship-s-Bells-5--brass.html

Thanks for all the suggestions - looks like a lot of work ahead.
I hope the link works (link virgin), so you can see the source, and it clearly says 'brass' (and it does sound nice)

I agree it seems to be lacquered, so that has to come off so that the real brass colour will be revealed. I don't mind a bit of polishing from time to time, and as we have a removable mounting it is normally stowed below.

Thanks again,

Michael.
Click to expand...

Yes it should be brass or it's returnable. I suspec the colouration in the engraving is a result of the engraving being done through the laquer and corroding and allowing water under the laquer too. In the RN back when I was a lot younger the way we kept brightwork (aka brass) shiny was polishing every day. The more you polish the easier it is. If you need to use abrasives to get rid of the corrosion you have a long trip ahead trying to get back to that glassy shiny surface
 
My friend is a clock restorer and cleans brass components using an ammonia bath then drying in sawdust. Be careful with ammonia fumes best do it outside and stand upwind.
 
I cleaned up brass Vetus light fittings with similar tarnishing using lemon juice and salt solution first and then removing the tarnish with Autosol applied with a Dremmel and small polishing head. (uses up a no of these). Takes time but effective.

Vetusbrasslamppics.jpg


Vetuspic2.jpg


Vetuspolishlacq.jpg
 
Last edited:
T-Cut or any other paint cutting compound, the stuff used to buff up car paint. It cuts through the lacquer without any scoring and also polishes the brass really well too. It's hard work but it's abrasive nature works wonders on copper, bass and chrome. If you can stand the splattering, us it with a cloth wheel. Once done, clean off any residue and respray using a spirit based lacquer aerosol. Spray numerous thin layers for a long lasting effect.

I've been using this process for years on classic cars, where things get hot as well as wet and salty, and I've never had to do the job twice! Good luck.
 
Obviously the corrosion is where the laquer is not.So get rid of the laquer and polish. The laquer does not seem readily available in UK but I bought some in a French supermarket (sold as Metal Varnish) I think they suggested cleaning the old stuff off with meths. It looks as though it was a pretty poor coat of laquer anyway.
Once the laquer has gone you can set about cleaning the brass up. You can use all the regular wholesome methods such as lemon juice.... great if you have got time. Or you can use the stuff a housekeeper at a stately home told me about when they had loads of old brass to cleaner up.... liquid toilet cleaner...not bleach. I have tried it on bronze door handles...it worked a treat and very fast. It does not bring the brass/bronze up to a shine just clean but dull.In this state it is a doddle to bring to a shine with Brasso wadding.
I suppose on H&S ground I should recommend using rubber gloves and not inhaling fumes etc .
 
Brick acid... dilute hydrochloric...will do very well but that is not in every cleaning cupboard and most toilet cleaners have something thixotropic which holds the stuff on the surface until you come to rinse it off.
The Screwfix spray sounds good. I must get some.
 
emandvee44 said:
Many thanks for all the suggestions. More than one way to skin a cat etc.
however I am a bit disappointed that the bell tarnished in the first place, as it is intended for outside use.

Michael.
Click to expand...

I suspect it was the engraving that cut through the laquer thus allowing the corrosion in. Did the supplier do the engraving, in which case you may have something to discuss with them.
 
Polishing the ship's bell - progress!

Finally got round to having a go at cleaning it. After removing the lacquer I used 1000 wet or dry, then polished it a couple of times with Brasso. Results are very encouraging.

And now it looks as it should rather than an ornament.

Only the bracket to do tomorrow!

Cheers,

Michael.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top