Antiquing Brass Hardware

[NoahL]

Hello everyone,

I figured I might as well post a quick how-to on how I antique brass hardware. Not sure if anyone is interested, but it can't hurt, right? This is how I turned this:

Into this (forgive the crappy photography):

Here are my steps:

Scrub the surface of the hardware with steel wool until it has a dull shine

Pour vinegar into a container--enough to cover the bottom

Suspend the hardware above the vinegar (I tied string to the clips and taped the string to the outside of the container)

Cover the container with plastic wrap

Let sit as a blotchy, dark patina develops

When you have reached a patina you like, take the hardware out of the container and dry it off

Place hardware on an electric heat source (I used my electric stove on a medium setting) until it begins to darken

Remove hardware from heat (use pliers) and quench in mineral oil

Clean the oil off the hardware

That should give you a nice, somewhat uneven patina, which you can then buff with steel wool in spots that you want to shine like they have some wear. For my Apocalyptic Survivor style hardware, I usually add a bit of a melted texture by smearing wood glue on the surface of the hardware and then heating it over an open flame until it ceases to bubble.

~Noah

[UKRay]

Now how did you know I was about to ask that question?

Many thanks, Noah. Useful info and very timely!

Ray

[AndyL1]

That is fantastic! Thanks for the post on this. I've been wondering how to go about getting a nice used look on some hardware. Do you think the same process would work on shiny nickle plated stuff? I am going to have to experiment.

Cheers,

Andy

[moeg]

Thanks Noah,

I've been wondering how to do that too.

Moe

[TomBanwell]

Noah, how long does this process take? Especially the hanging over vinegar part?

Thanks, Tom

[NoahL]

Now how did you know I was about to ask that question?

Many thanks, Noah. Useful info and very timely!

Ray

I'm psychic? Haha, I'm glad I could be of assistance!

That is fantastic! Thanks for the post on this. I've been wondering how to go about getting a nice used look on some hardware. Do you think the same process would work on shiny nickle plated stuff? I am going to have to experiment.

Cheers,

Andy

Well, I would be careful with anything plated--I did this to a buckle last night that was supposedly brass, but apparently it was actually a brass-plated pewter alloy of some kind because it started to melt on my stove and it's ruined now.

Thanks Noah,

I've been wondering how to do that too.

Moe

You're welcome!

Noah, how long does this process take? Especially the hanging over vinegar part?

Thanks, Tom

It depends on how blotchy and dark you want it to look, but those clips spent approximately an hour to an hour and a half over the vinegar--just hang them up and go out to eat

~Noah

[cowboyjohn]

Hello everyone,

I figured I might as well post a quick how-to on how I antique brass hardware. Not sure if anyone is interested, but it can't hurt, right? This is how I turned this:

Into this (forgive the crappy photography):

Here are my steps:

Scrub the surface of the hardware with steel wool until it has a dull shine

Pour vinegar into a container--enough to cover the bottom

Suspend the hardware above the vinegar (I tied string to the clips and taped the string to the outside of the container)

Cover the container with plastic wrap

Let sit as a blotchy, dark patina develops

When you have reached a patina you like, take the hardware out of the container and dry it off

Place hardware on an electric heat source (I used my electric stove on a medium setting) until it begins to darken

Remove hardware from heat (use pliers) and quench in mineral oil

Clean the oil off the hardware

That should give you a nice, somewhat uneven patina, which you can then buff with steel wool in spots that you want to shine like they have some wear. For my Apocalyptic Survivor style hardware, I usually add a bit of a melted texture by smearing wood glue on the surface of the hardware and then heating it over an open flame until it ceases to bubble.

~Noah

[cowboyjohn]

Quite a few years ago I used to renovate old furiture and to antique new brass fittings used ammonia.

You just need to expose the fitting to ammonia gas so a small cup of ammonia and a plastic bag to form a tent does the trick.

Dosn't give the almost black finnish you got with vinegar but gives the brass a nice patina.

[NoahL]

Quite a few years ago I used to renovate old furiture and to antique new brass fittings used ammonia.

You just need to expose the fitting to ammonia gas so a small cup of ammonia and a plastic bag to form a tent does the trick.

Dosn't give the almost black finnish you got with vinegar but gives the brass a nice patina.

I've seen a few knife fittings that have been tarnished with ammonia, but I don't like the idea of having that particular chemical in my apartment, so I sought out a more lung-friendly method. The ammonia does give a nice patina, though.

~Noah

[CitizenKate]

Hey, thanks, Noah! I've been looking for a way to do this!

Kate

[TomBanwell]

Thanks, Noah. I got one more question for you. What does heating the brass parts do? Won't the tarnish remain without it?

Thanks, this is a technique I am definitely going to use.

[NoahL]

Hey, thanks, Noah! I've been looking for a way to do this!

Kate

You're welcome, I'm glad I could help!

Thanks, Noah. I got one more question for you. What does heating the brass parts do? Won't the tarnish remain without it?

Thanks, this is a technique I am definitely going to use.

The tarnish will remain, but the tarnish is blotchy, and heating the brass parts darkens them beneath the tarnish--the quenching in mineral oil is something I did because water made some of the tarnish flake off. It certainly isn't something you NEED to do, it's just what I did. Play around with it, and I certainly hope to see lots of antiqued brass hardware from everyone showing up in the Show Off forum!

~Noah

[3DArcher]

I've had better results with ammonia also. Ammonia gives the brass a more natural patina but will blacken the longer you leave it in the fumes. A dremel with a wire brush attachment cleans the part up nicely leaving behind a piece that looks like it's a 100 years old with small pits in the metal and all.

Solid brass works best but this is also a good way to tell if a part someone sold you as solid brass is really solid brass or just brass plated metal. Some parts are actually solid brass with a nickle plate on them and the ammonia will eat the nickle or gold or brass, just about any plating away.

[NoahL]

I would like to add a few things after doing some more playing around with this due to the questions I received from Mr. Banwell.

The tarnish from the vinegar fumes WILL rub off while it is wet unless you heat the brass. Some of the patina will stay, but the heat has a similar effect to Parkerizing in that it strengthens the patina.

Also, some brass will take longer to tarnish hanging over vinegar--for instance, those clips did not have to stay in as long as some dee-rings I just finished. I suspect it has something to do with the alloy.

As others have said, ammonia will definitely give you good results, but I have pets and one of them has a very sensitive respiratory system, so ammonia is not an option in my household. This is a safe alternative, not the be-all-end-all method

~Noah

[DCKNIVES]

While those methods will work, if you need something quicker you can use Ferric Chloride (circuit board etchant,available from Radio Shack)and water solution.I use it on steels, brass,and copper when doing period pieces.Dave

[TomBanwell]

I tried this method using vinegar and it worked splendidly. First I put all my parts including tiny brass screws in a rock tumbler overnight with sand to remove the finish. After 2 hours in the vinegar fumes the parts were a nice dark brown. A little uneven, but I don't mind that at all for the look that I'm after. Before hearing of the fume technique I had brushed on vinegar and let dry, several coats. Also I had spritzed the parts with a spray bottle. Neither of those methods worked nearly as well as the fuming, so Noah, again I thank you for posting this.

[Dusty Leather]

Another very old trick is is to lightly scratch the hardware up, then take three or four family sized caffinated tea bags in to a small post of boiling water. Now there are to different looks you can go for. 1) looks like forged aged brass. to do that simply drop the hardware in the pot. leave it for about 5 minutes and check to see if it the color you are wanting. continue this until you achieve the patina you want. The other way is to just age the metal by putting them in a metal screen type of colander and suspend the item in the boiling tea. Remember to leave the items in the tea for at least 10 minutes after cooling. (of course you can check through out the whole process to see if you have achieved the color you like. This works on all metals.

[NoahL]

I tried this method using vinegar and it worked splendidly. First I put all my parts including tiny brass screws in a rock tumbler overnight with sand to remove the finish. After 2 hours in the vinegar fumes the parts were a nice dark brown. A little uneven, but I don't mind that at all for the look that I'm after. Before hearing of the fume technique I had brushed on vinegar and let dry, several coats. Also I had spritzed the parts with a spray bottle. Neither of those methods worked nearly as well as the fuming, so Noah, again I thank you for posting this.

Great! I'm glad it worked well for you!

Another very old trick is is to lightly scratch the hardware up, then take three or four family sized caffinated tea bags in to a small post of boiling water. Now there are to different looks you can go for. 1) looks like forged aged brass. to do that simply drop the hardware in the pot. leave it for about 5 minutes and check to see if it the color you are wanting. continue this until you achieve the patina you want. The other way is to just age the metal by putting them in a metal screen type of colander and suspend the item in the boiling tea. Remember to leave the items in the tea for at least 10 minutes after cooling. (of course you can check through out the whole process to see if you have achieved the color you like. This works on all metals.

Really? How durable is that finish, though? I know that heat will darken brass, but I didn't think tea would be able to stain it.

~Noah

[Dusty Leather]

Great! I'm glad it worked well for you!

Really? How durable is that finish, though? I know that heat will darken brass, but I didn't think tea would be able to stain it.

~Noah

Works great, my granddad taught me how to do it and I have just all ways done it that way. just remember to lightly brush the hardware with a soft wire brush.

[SimonJester753]

I found something called Patina Gel. It's stabilized liver of sulfur. It works on silver, copper, bronze and brass.

http://www.cooltools.us/Cool-Tools-Liver-of-Sulfur-in-Gel-Form-p/pol-800parent.htm?1=1&CartID=0

I've only tested it out so far, to darken copper rivets.

The heating and quenching in oil is interesting. I've found that any patina method I tried tended to rub off easily. The gel gave me the best results. I'll have to try heating and oil quenching with it.

[alb]

I found something called Patina Gel. It's stabilized liver of sulfur. It works on silver, copper, bronze and brass.

http://www.cooltools...tm?1=1&CartID=0

Thanks for posting this! The videos are great.

Ann