Solid Brass Won't "antique"

[SimonJester753]

I was in Tractor Supply Co. and bought a pack of solid brass chicago screws, marketed by Weaver, a few months ago. I antiqued them using a chemical solution meant for antiquing brass and copper.

It was a variety pack of screws with 2 different lengths. I really needed them all to be short for the project I'm working on.

I went back and they were out of stock, so I ordered some from Tandy. They won't antique. They must be coated with something to prevent tarnishing.

I happened to be in Tractor Supply again and they had Weaver brand chicago screws, so I bought 2 packs. The packaging was different. That did make me wonder if the contents were the same. Well, they're just like the Tandy screws– can't get them to antique.

What solvent would you recommend to clean off the coating? Or do you have an easy way to shorten the female end of a chicago screw?

Edited December 3, 2012 by SimonJester753

[jforwel]

Some brass hardware for other applications has a laquer type finish to prevent tarnishing. You might try a lot of Brasso to get through it or use rouge and a polishing tip on a Dremel tool to wear through the coating, then you should be at the bare brass. You can tell because you will be able to give it a real good polish.

[electrathon]

Toss them in some paint stripper or barke fluid and it should peal the coating right off. I would question if they are solid brass though, likely coated or an alloy mix.

[Spence]

Do the magnet test. If they stick, they're not solid brass. If they're solid brass, I've used vinegaroon, since I have it on the bench all the time. Some folks use ammonia, I think, but I'd rather not fry my sinuses. lol. What I do is take the brass piece and a piece of leather soaked in vinegaroon and put them together in a ziplock bag. It usually takes a couple of days for a buckle.

[Northmount]

Try acetone, dissolves many things. It is the solvent used for lacquer.

As long as the threads are deep enough into the female half, you can grind or file it shorter. Fit it into a piece of leather to use as a holder. Might save some of your skin if you slip.

Tom

[Frank]

Diluted gun bluing does the trick as well and very quickly I might add. I dilute it with alcohol or use the gun bluing paste applied with a Q-tip

[ChuckBurrows]

as noted above many such items have a lacquer finish which must be rermoved first - use a stripper or soak in lacquer thinner first, then age..

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[mikesmith648]

when I was in ROTC in school, we had brass buckles and insignia....we put them in boiling water to remove the lacquer finish...only takes a couple of minutes.