Antique Iron/Brass Bed: Too Heavy???

[Riddle]

Do you happen to know the correct mix of vinegar and salt?

Sorry, but I wing it. There's probably a slight reaction between the salt and vinegar or lemon juice, but I think of the salt as an abrasive. You don't need a lot of it. Salt and acids are corrosive, so start small, rinse and dry well.

My Cuprinox copper pots and pans are modern, so I have a really good idea of how thick the metals are that I'm cleaning. The two au gratin pans that are "table" rather than "professional" have brass handles. I cut a lemon in half and sprinkle salt on it. Presto - an biological scrubby! If a pot is a mess, I clean it first with soap, etc., then sprinkle the salt on it and scrub with a vinegar soaked terry cloth. Oh, heck. I've even poured vinegar directly on a saute pan, but it's not very efficient.

I don't have any idea how thick your brass is, so I'd start with a little lemon (or vinegar) and a tiny bit of salt on a soft terry cloth in an inconspicuous spot. Scrub, rinse and buff. You can adjust up or down from there. It is a lot slower than commercial cleaners.

If you decide that you want a commercial cleaner Red Bear Copper and Brass powder is a good compromise. Only one store cookware store here carries it, but you can order it online. The shine isn't quite as mellow looking as with the biological cleaners, but it doesn't result is that stripped look that you get with Twinkle or have the solvent fragrance of Brasso.

[harland]

Sorry, but I wing it. There's probably a slight reaction between the salt and vinegar or lemon juice, but I think of the salt as an abrasive. You don't need a lot of it. Salt and acids are corrosive, so start small, rinse and dry well.

I was very interested in the salt/vinegar combination so I did a bit of research and read that the salt acts as a catalyst - speeding up the process of removing the oxidation from the metal. Otherwise, you'd have to wait a long time for the acid to do its job.

Here's a good explanation of what's going on (really takes me back to high school chemistry):

http://www.seekalaska.org/page6.aspx

Leaving the salt/vinegar solution on the metal will just let it oxidize again, but with different results. Using copper as an example, instead of copper oxide you'll get copper carbonate - a blue-greenish looking substance.

... the solvent fragrance of Brasso...

I love the smell of Brasso in the morning...

[organic_smallhome]

I'm now leery of Brasso because of what Riddle said--I don't want the bed to end up being a super-shiny gold brass like you see in the shops today. Now that the bed has been delivered, however, I'm wondering if I should remove the tarnish at all? I know I need to clean it up, but I just read on the internet that tarnished brass actually protects the brass from further tarnish. I'm still trying to figure out the logic of that one. What do you think?

[drcollie]

I'd polish it! But wow....that's going to be a huge chore. You're going to need a power buffer or else you'll be there for hours on end. Unless you lacquer it after polishing, it will turn again - usually within a few months (but it takes several years of neglect to get to the tone its now in)

[Riddle]

Tarnish is a result of a basic chemical process when the metal comes in contact with air and oxidizes. The process slows as there is less surface area to oxidize, the process doesn't entirely stop. For example, the copper dome on a local basilica was restored in the 1990's. It continues to tarnish to darker, flatter colors, but it is not yet back to the blue-green verdigris of the original. That will take several more years. Brass requires maintenance, but it's not all that hard to do if you keep up with it.

Unless you just like the look of the tarnished brass, I'd polish it. After seeing your photos, I don't think you're going to have to worry about getting it too shiny during the initial cleaning even if you use Brasso! At the very least, you'll probably have to start with a commercial cleaner for the first pass, provided that you've confirmed that you have solid rather than plated brass. I'd try out some Brasso on the the lower part of the headboard that will be hidden by the mattress. If by some miracle, you easily get clean brass, you can consider milder options. If not, I'd buy a buffer and abrasive compound sticks for polishing. They come in various coarseness. The finest that I am familiar with is jeweler's rouge, which is used for final polishing.

[organic_smallhome]

I actually like the "patina" of tarnished brass, but now I'm thinking I've gotten in over my head here. I'm beginning to think I should just sell it and start over. Plus, once I got it home, I noticed that several of the spindles had splits in the brass. Why I didn't notice it before is beyond me, since I looked at the bed in broad daylight before I bought it. I'm an idiot. I still think it's a beautiful bed, but. . . .

Thanks for all the advice, everyone.

[Riddle]

I hope I didn't scare you off! Polishing with buffing compound is fiddly and takes a lot of time, but it isn't technically difficult like trying to do your own fancy woodwork with little or no background in woodworking. Even I've done it.

It's too bad about the splits in the brass. Are they really terrible? Wear and tear doesn't necessarily have to be a show-stopper. My two favorite pieces of furniture are French armoires (circa 1860 and 1940). Each has an area where veneer has chipped off. The back of the older one is split. They're still far more interesting to me than equivalent new pieces would be, and I don't have to worry about damaging a museum-quality piece with everyday use.

[organic_smallhome]

I hope I didn't scare you off! Polishing with buffing compound is fiddly and takes a lot of time, but it isn't technically difficult like trying to do your own fancy woodwork with little or no background in woodworking. Even I've done it.

It's too bad about the splits in the brass. Are they really terrible? Wear and tear doesn't necessarily have to be a show-stopper. My two favorite pieces of furniture are French armoires (circa 1860 and 1940). Each has an area where veneer has chipped off. The back of the older one is split. They're still far more interesting to me than equivalent new pieces would be, and I don't have to worry about damaging a museum-quality piece with everyday use.

No, not at all! Don't worry about it. I just don't know that I'm up to the task. The splits are thin, but they're there. On the other hand, I agree with you about wear and tear on antique pieces. With the right bed dressing, it would probably look gorgeous. I'll have to think about it. Thanks so much for your considered feedback.