Brass

[Desert Dawg]

Do you leave brass in its natural state or polish it to a shining sparkle? If you polish, what do you use?

 

[Polecat_Tom]

After I file it smooth I sand with 320 then I just rub it down with Scotch Brite. I prefer the satin over the bright polish.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

When I polish, I use either Brasso or Flitz.

 

[wiscoaster]

Done both. Patina is done with JAX Brown. High shine is done with sandpaper to 600 then first Flitz, followed by Mother's. Works much better for me than Brasso.

 

[nchawkeye]

No polish, do as Polecat_Tom does, then go shoot, use it and the brass will change colors and age on its own...

 

[wiscoaster]

.... the brass will change colors and age on its own...

Like me. But I'm aging faster. I can't wait on the brass.

 

[IanH]

Depends. Most of the time I work it down to fine Scotchbrite, blend it with burlap, and then rub it down with a dirty cleaning patch the first time I shoot it. I might buff a little with the burlap to even the tone and repeat a few times until I get the well-used look I like, then just use it and wipe down with light oil or Ballistol when cleaning the grunge off of the stock from then on out. If you buff it with a wheel and compounds until it is a mirror, it looks terrible when it tarnishes. If you maintain the shine and wax it, it can look nice if you're into "bling".

 

[tenngun]

I polish it down to 400 grit paper then polishing compound.
I used to leave it go from bright to tarnish , but I’ve come to the conclusion old timers kept their brass bright, or not
I think they bought brass cause it’s pretty and kept it that way so buff mine with cleaning.

 

[oldwood]

Brass get's polished on a buffing wheel one time , when it's newly filed , shaped , and polished. Then the powder fouling , blood , natural aging does what it does.

 

[IT47]

I use Ballistol on the entire arm from muzzle to the brass butt stock. I pour a little Ballistol in a small cup, use a 1" chip brush, and paint the arm all over with Ballistol,
let set for at least an hour, overnight is best, then wipe and rub down the entire arm.
Good for the brown or bluing, the lock, the wood and the brass.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

My brass was raw when I build my rifle. I took it down to 800 grit, then used Brasso to polish it.
Every year of two I use some Brasso on it. Too many years in the Army, I like sparkly.

 

[springfield art]

I love the aged patina look!

 

[tucosink]

Ammonia fumes give brass a nice matte finish which I personally prefer

 

[tucosink]

Like this

 

[Cruzatte]

No polish, do as Polecat_Tom does, then go shoot, use it and the brass will change colors and age on its own...

Yup, me too.

 

[sturmkatze]

ain't a haven' to hide from Injuns, so I'll have my brass shiny.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

I use Simichrome, generally on a felt wheel on my Foredom machine's handpiece. I also have various other polishing compounds for other metals.

Like many, I prefer to keep my brass sparkly.

 

[Pete G]

ain't a haven' to hide from Injuns, so I'll have my brass shiny.

Somebody has to play the part of the greenhorn.

 

[Blitz]

I use Simichrome, generally on a felt wheel on my Foredom machine's handpiece. I also have various other polishing compounds for other metals.

Like many, I prefer to keep my brass sparkly.

Thumbs for simichrome one of if not the best chrome and brass polishes , like the rest of us I used brasso in the army the shine only looks good for a day and do not ever use it on cartridge brass , it has been shown to weaken it.
Brasso is messy dirty stuff if you try simichrome youi will be amazed at the difference in use and results, There is also Wenol better than Brasso.

Blitz

 

[Coldfingers]

For 50 years I have taken brass to a high polish then let it age.

On my new build, a smoothrifle, I will have a super high polish and it is going to be kept shiny