Another metal cleaner polish

[bangster]

I found this stuff at the local Ace Hardware. It does a bang-up job on brass clock plates, and it's quick. Rub it on, rub it around a bit, rub it off. Presto!

bangster

 

[Bob Reichel]

Could this be anything like Brasso? The fellas in Australia absolutely insist that we never-never use Brasso on clock plates. I appears it amalgamates into the pores of the brass and becoms a wonderful rubbing/grinding compound. Comments?
I meant to add "in the pivot holes".

 

[Scottie-TX]

Well;
I can certainly understand why it is your preference, but as for me,
I prefer not to have my clock parts banged up.
Is it a clear liquid or more like a BRASSO slurry ? Does it emanate an odor of ammonia like brasso?

 

[bangster]

Resembles Brasso, only better and faster. Yes, ammonia smell.

With Brasso, you do a lot of rubbing. With this stuff, you apply it, let it sit for a bit, and wipe it off. Seems to work mostly chemically, rather than mechanically (i.e., with abrasives). Got no idea what its ingredients are.

I suspect that if you packed your pivot holes with Brasso and didn't clean it out, it would have an abrasive effect once the pivots went to work on it. I also suspect that if you cleaned it out, it wouldn't...and that cleaning it out would not present a problem. I'd need a lot of proving that it soaks into the metal and won't come out.

As for this stuff...I just now used it on a pair of badly stained plates, and they came out byootiful.
I'll trust another cleaning to get rid of any residue. YMMV.

bangster

 

[David Robertson]

Bangster,

I have also used Tarnite and found it to clean stains other polishes won't touch... Good stuff!

I put it right up there with PB Blaster and Evapo-Rust as chemicals that seem to have a superior ability to do their jobs compared to alternatives..

 

[Tony Ambruso]

I use Tarnite, also. I like the results.

 

[Jeremy Woodoff]

A response on one of the forums I found by googling "Tarnite" said it contains oxalic acid. Now have to determine if oxalic acid eats the brass or just the oxidation.

Jeremy

 

[bangster]

Isn't that the stuff that's in rhubarb leaves? If it is, maybe we've discovered a new home recipe for brass cleaner. "Boil a bunch of rhubarb leaves..."

 

[Jeremy Woodoff]

Yes, it is in rhubarb leaves and other plants as well. The average person would have to eat 11 lbs of rhubarb leaves to kill himself, but less will make you sick.

The references I found described oxalic acid as a rust remover. None of them specifically mentioned removing oxidation from brass or copper. I suppose even if it does dissolve some brass, it probably removes less than an abrasive cleaner would. I would just be careful to rinse it thoroughly.

 

[bangster]

...so I performed an Experiment. I have some oxalic acid (use it for bleaching water stains out of wood). Took a junker brass plate; put oxalic acid on a small area, and Tarnite on a small area next to it. Let it sit for approximately one minute and wiped it off. Repeated the application and let it sit for two minutes, then wiped it off.

Repeated the experiment on another area of the plate.

Result: Both of them removed tarnish. Tarnite did a much better job, leaving a smooth, shiny yellow-brass surface. Oxalic acid left a less-shiny, slightly rougher mottled-looking surface, coppery-reddish in color, like maybe it was attacking the zinc in the brass.

Tarnite may contain oxalic acid, but it also contains other stuff that gives it its effectiveness.
So much for rhubarb leaves.

bangster

 

[Paul Arsenault]

I had a product called Krud Cutter from Lowe's. Mixed with household amonia 50/50 and put in the Harbor Freight ultrasonic cleaner. It worked wonders. Paul

 

[Len Lataille]

Paul

Be careful what you mix with ammonia. The wrong mix can be deadly!

 

[shutterbug]

Hmmmm .... I wonder if a person would put a rhubarb leaf inside the cabinet and just replace it when it got yucky if it would keep the movement clean? Maybe soak it in clock oil first, then ......... Hmmmm.

 

[Scottie-TX]

Well, I never tried, but just doubted that "quarreling" could remove rust.

 

[bangster]

Paul

Be careful what you mix with ammonia. The wrong mix can be deadly!

Ammonia + chlorine bleach = phosgene gas...one of the chem warfare faves in WW One. Kills indiscriminately and unpleasantly.

...or so I seem to recall. Maybe it just releases the chlorine...another fave in the War To End Wars.

 

[RJSoftware]

Oxilate is a chemical found in tea. Maybe a relative. It is one of the key ingrediants in the formation of kidney stones. Why I also don't drink tea anymore.

 

[Bill Ward]

Could this be anything like Brasso? The fellas in Australia absolutely insist that we never-never use Brasso on clock plates. I appears it amalgamates into the pores of the brass and becoms a wonderful rubbing/grinding compound. Comments?
I meant to add "in the pivot holes".

That's interesting....Mike Phelan, who used to post here, insisted that the "old English" way to clean clocks was with Brasso, and to polish out with chalk thoroughly.
I don't like Brasso because it contains phophoric acid, any trace of which left in a crevice will later cause severe corrosion. This seems especially bad combined with the possibility of stress-crack corrosion caused by ammoniated cleaners.

 

[itbme1987]

just had a cup of tea.......

 

[bangster]

Oxilate is a chemical found in tea. Maybe a relative. It is one of the key ingrediants in the formation of kidney stones. Why I also don't drink tea anymore.

Hey hey, Arjay. Haven't seen you in a while. Good to see you back.

bangster

I have a pot of tea every morning. If my evening martinis don't rot my kidneys, why should I worry about my mornin' tea?

 

[RJSoftware]

Hey Bang;

Glad to be back.

The best thing you can drink (if kidney stones is an issue, prone to developement) is lemonaid. Real lemonaid that is. Not sure about the artificial brands.

It actually helps to reduce the formation and may even help to disolve existing ones.

You drink it every day just like a good replacement for soda. Make it a routine.

I know cause Ive gone the full route on the kidney adventure. But, I must admit I owe my life to kidney stones.

If I had not of developed kidney stones, they would not of detected the tumor.

My aunt Betty, southern woman. Steeped in traditions. Use to drink iced tea nearly every day. Passed enourmous amounts/size kidney stones most of her adult life. She was one of the first who recieved the shockwave blast to break up the stones. The early models they made you sit in a bathtub with water. Now they just take a spark plug like thing that pops you in the back. Starts to sting after a while...

Them women (my aunts) could cook though. Grits, eggs, sausage and toast most every morning. Grits is another oxilate culprit as is spinage. Whenever they came, we ate real good.

I had to give up on both grits and spinage.... man,,,, I miss them sorley..! Especially the grits. A bowl of steamy hot grits, lavishly smothered in melted butter with just the right amount of salt and pepper. Sluuuurp.

Infact Grandma taught me to drink the liquid of the spinage juice. She called it pot liquor. (She never drank booze)..

I use to drink canned iced tea every day at work as an electrician. Thought I was doing better than soda. But that's how things got started.

***

Well, back on the subject of metal cleaning polish. Sorry bout the diversion. I get caught up sometimes.

I still stand by my opinion that good ol dish soap and water is the best. I say this because as I believe some of you know I like patina.

If I wanna new clock I can go to Walmart and buy something made in China.

Restoring the brass shine is a bit like stripping veneer. I guess sometimes it may be necessary, but it really sucks out the characture.

RJ

 

[RJSoftware]

red screen test test...