Removing built-up brass polish - help

[Model-T&A]

I recently acquired a 1914 touring car. This car was previously owed by a friend and member of our local club who took excellent care of it for the past 23 years but unfortunately died this past December following a bravely fought battle with cancer. As the new custodian of this T I am looking to maintain it to the high standard of the previous owner.

One of the issue I am having is removing brass polish build-up from the small nooks, and am looking for suggestions on what may work. On several small areas I have tried lemon juice, and also the ketchup vinegar mix (2:1), both followed by a soft toothbrush and elbow grease with some degree of success.

Open to any and all suggestion.

Thanks,
Rick

[Adam]

Toothbrush.

Toothbrush style bronze wire brush from an industrial supplier.

[Paul-Geil]

I use T-BUTYL ACETATE (T-BAC) as a cleaner.
Paul

[Erik Johnson]

Try mineral spirits/paint thinner or WD-40 applied with a cotton rag to soften it up and then use a clean terrycloth rag and toothbrush to remove it.

Lacquer thinner, aerosol carb cleaner or brake cleaner may also do the trick but you have to be extremely careful and not get it on any paint. (I've used carb cleaner and brake cleaner to remove the waxy film left by Brasso and Simichrome.)

[jiminbartow]

Brass is a very soft metal. Never, ever use any type of wire brush on brass unless you want a permanently scratched surface that will never polish to a mirror finish. Use a small soft paint brush and dab the corners and hard to get to places with lacquer thinner to soften and remove old hardened polish. If your friend used clear lacquer to seal the polished brass from tarnishing, the lacquer thinner will remove the clear lacquer, enabling you to repolish to a mirror shine, then reseal with a new coat of good quality clear lacquer. A poor quality clear lacquer will leave a foggy finish,concealing the beauty of the shine. When I polish any type of metal, I prefer Meguiars Ultimate Compound. To me, it is much less abrasive than Brasso or any type of metal polish. Maguiars also has a polish that is even less abrasive. A good paste wax should slow down the tarnishing process while not obscuring the mirrored surface and allowing the full shine to come through. Jim Patrick

[jiminbartow]

PS. If you know what type of polish he used, you can go online to obtain the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for it that will tell you what to use to remove it. Use such search keywords as “Brasso, MSDS”. OSHA requires that users have access to MSDS’s for all chemical products for safety purpose. If the MSDS does not tell how to remove it, you may be able to determine the best solvent to use by looking at the ingredients and finding out the base solvent that was used to mix the active ingredients in. I recall once, when I used to refinish antiques, I used a lot of Formby’s Furniture Refinisher, which was outlandishly expensive (something Iike $30.00 for a pint). Unable to afford it, I was able to obtain the MSDS for it and found that the active ingredient was Tolulene, so I made my own and save a fortune. Jim Patrick

[Model-T&A]

Thank you all for your input and advice, I will be putting your suggestions to the test.

It is people like all of you that make the forum a great resource, and help to keep the Model T moving forward for generations to come.

Thank you all again,
Rick

[TeveS-Nor Cal]

Just one more reason to not polish the brass!

[Dan Haynes]

I agree with Erik - WD-40 will dissolve the crusty polish and a plastic bristle toothbrush to scrub it out of the tight places and seams, followed by a rub with a soft cloth.

[Adam]

I suggested the bronze brush and I see that was quickly dismissed as something that it will ruin your brass...

Not true.

Plastic bristles like a toothbrush would be ideal, but if they don’t work, try metal (ideally bronze or brass)

It is actual experience and works fine for me. Just don’t be stupid with it. Push the bristles very gently into the area that needs the polish residue removed and make a tiny circular motion with the brush head, maybe 1/8” circles, just enough to remove the polishing residue. Try it in an inconspicuous spot and see how you like the results. Works great around small lettering and fine details.

Tip: Use a clean, like-new brush that has straight bristles all the same lengths.

[George Mills]

I always had flawless, perfect, see yourself in the brass of my 15. I thought I had cracked the secret to good brass without white or green ‘corners’. For 10 years folks would comment on how good my brass actually stayed!

Then he went off to college....