How to protect brass?

MPH

MPH

Joined
Tuesday October 22, 2013
Hi,

I have a brass DE head and I would like to protect it. I know I could post to someone to get coated in rhodium, or something like that, but does anyone know if there are any clear coatings so you can still see the brass colour?

Also... Can anyone recommend someone to do the coating (whatever the type)? I have seen lots of horror stories recently about razors being kept for ages and work not being completed!

I know of razorplate and Delta Echo in the states.

Thanks!

Matt
 
Or, just enjoy the patina, I quite like some age to brass. Let's face it too it's going to last your life time, whereas a coating won't. Also a coating will add thickness which I'd imagine would change the blade gap, and how it shaves. It could mean what shaves well now may not the same after coating.
 
Dr Terror said:
Forgot to mention,you would want the 'Protector-A-Clear' version....Second one down!.;)

What razor are you thinking of coating MPH?...
Click to expand...

Hi

Thanks for the advice!

I have an ikon SBS and wondering what I want to do with it!?!?

Think I prefer the idea of a pro dealing with it to be honest! Wouldn't want to cock it up! :)

Matt
 
MPH said:
Hi

Thanks for the advice!

I have an ikon SBS and wondering what I want to do with it!?!?

Think I prefer the idea of a pro dealing with it to be honest! Wouldn't want to cock it up! :)

Matt
Click to expand...
What finish are you wanting on that icon?,totally polished,or with some patina?.
Head and base plate?...
If you want the totally polished look,just spend £4 on a tube of 'Peek' metal polish,and a pack of good quality yellow dusters,and give it a quick going over once in a while.
Peek is really mild,It wont wear down the brass,like say,Bar Keepers Friend,but it gets rid of oxidization in a matter of seconds.
Great stuff!,I swear by it!.
 
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Dr Terror said:
What finish are you wanting on that icon?,totally polished,or with some patina?.
Head and base plate?...
If you want the totally polished look,just spend £4 on a tube of 'Peek' metal polish,and a pack of good quality yellow dusters,and give it a quick going over once in a while.
Peek is really mild,It wont wear down the brass,like say,Bar Keepers Friend,but it gets rid of oxidization in a matter of seconds.
Great stuff!,I swear by it!.
Click to expand...

Hi again

Oh OK, maybe that's all I need then! If i dont get it coated i wanted it to look totally polished, both head and base plate. At the end of the day, its quite a rare razor, and I'm not used to owning anything rare, so I just wanted to keep it looking as good as possible for as long as possible.

I read quite a lot of chat on another forum when these were released and people seemed to think that without a protective coating the brass would pit, or deteriorate ... I guess as its a soft metal. I have seen photos of peoples rhodium plated sbs'.

I have to say though that the idea of Delta Echo coating was mostly because their razors look fantastic!!!

Thanks

Matt
 
The chances are that a coating will come off...They have been coating alloys for years on Motorcycle's & Car Alloy wheels...Its got a shelf life and it can also change colour....Here is a Tip that I learned whilst serving with the Royal Marines...After you have polished your Brass and you are happy with it...Polish it again with Toothpaste..The Toothpaste will remove the Polish that you have used...:rolleyes:

Paradoxically..The Polish that is left behind after polishing the brass acts to Tarnish it...The Toothpaste will take away any polish/Brasso that is left behind and also polish the brass to a higher finish because its a finer cutting paste...Your polished Brass will now take a lot longer to Tarnish...Trust me..This is a Bootneck trade secret...The Palace Guards obviously don't know this as their Brasses are always Honkin..:D.

Billy
 
Mate!,Delta Echo Works AFAIK,coats razors in Ceracote,and stuff!,the last thing you want!.
Think about it...There are brass antiques,of all sorts,that are 100's of years old with no pitting!....
Save yourself a few £'s,get what I said above,and enjoy that razor for years to come!.
OK,here's an example,I have a 1910 all brass Imco lighter,and a 1918 Brass princess Mary tin,I restored them both while wearing a pair of Nitrile gloves,I never touch them with bare hands,and I have not had to re-polish them in 2 years...
My solid brass armoured Zippo,lasts about a week,before it needs polishing (de-oxidising) again...
It is the oils in your hands that oxidise brass buddy...
If you wash your polished razor after every use,with Fairy Liquid,and hot water,eliminating all skin oil's,you should only have to polish it say,once a month?.
 
Dr Terror said:
Mate!,Delta Echo Works AFAIK,coats razors in Ceracote,and stuff!,the last thing you want!.
Think about it...There are brass antiques,of all sorts,that are 100's of years old with no pitting!....
Save yourself a few £'s,get what I said above,and enjoy that razor for years to come!.
OK,here's an example,I have a 1910 all brass Imco lighter,and a 1918 Brass princess Mary tin,I restored them both while wearing a pair of Nitrile gloves,I never touch them with bare hands,and I have not had to re-polish them in 2 years...
My solid brass armoured Zippo,lasts about a week,before it needs polishing (de-oxidising) again...
It is the oils in your hands that oxidise brass buddy...
If you wash your polished razor after every use,with Fairy Liquid,and hot water,eliminating all skin oil's,you should only have to polish it say,once a month?.
Click to expand...
+ 1..Yeah ...You need to get the polish off as it oxidises it as I mentioned above...;)
Billy
 
I've had trouble with old brass just yesterday which agrees with the advice here. An old (1950s?) brass item encrusted with old Brasso residue. It took about two hours in the USB and several detergent changes to remove the old polish. Underneath where the polish had been, the brass had gone rough and pitted and copper-coloured. I think what's gone on is the alkaline Brasso has attacked the zinc in the brass and leached it out leaving just pitted copper behind..
 
PhilD said:
I've had trouble with old brass just yesterday which agrees with the advice here. An old (1950s?) brass item encrusted with old Brasso residue. It took about two hours in the USB and several detergent changes to remove the old polish. Underneath where the polish had been, the brass had gone rough and pitted and copper-coloured. I think what's gone on is the alkaline Brasso has attacked the zinc in the brass and leached it out leaving just pitted copper behind..
Click to expand...
I would not worry about it too much Phil,a lot of the old razors had a variable Brass/Copper content...
After stripping off the nickel plating on many and numerous razors,I have found,the handles,have a huge copper content,the heads,the same,but the base plates, and the bit at at the top of the handle,that the thread of the head screws into,is always pure brass....
You will know if the brass has been 'attacked; as it turns pink....
 
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