MajorBonacelli Posted August 30, 2022 Share #1 Posted August 30, 2022 Bought this Union breastplate awhile back and would like to see if I can shine up the brass a bit to return it to its former glory like the button. Any suggestions that also won’t ruin the item? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodes Posted August 30, 2022 Share #2 Posted August 30, 2022 Leave as is....Bodes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdk0911 Posted September 2, 2022 Share #3 Posted September 2, 2022 I agree with Bodes - leave the patina!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted September 3, 2022 Share #4 Posted September 3, 2022 I'm always tempted to shine up anything brass but I have to agree, it should probably be left as is. But heck, it's yours so have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KurtA Posted September 11, 2022 Share #5 Posted September 11, 2022 Leave as is!!! The patina is perfect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Posted September 11, 2022 Share #6 Posted September 11, 2022 I guess I will take a slightly different tack. If it were mine, I would not clean it - however, it’s not. You own the item, and can do what you want with it - as @sundance mentioned above. If it would make you happy to shine it up, well, life is short. Opinions vary, and nobody should tell you what to do with your item. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivydiv Posted September 11, 2022 Share #7 Posted September 11, 2022 It took all this time to get to look like that. I would leave it as it was found. Your damned if you clean it, and damned if you didn't clean it. I would leave it to the next owner to decide. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sundance Posted September 12, 2022 Share #8 Posted September 12, 2022 I think you're just going to have to get rid of it - just kidding. To those who know - how long does it take to develop a patina like that? If you don't polish silver it seems to tarnish in a year or less and copper seems to turn green pretty quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VMI88 Posted September 12, 2022 Share #9 Posted September 12, 2022 23 hours ago, Blacksmith said: Opinions vary, and nobody should tell you what to do with your item. Except that he asked the group for recommendations on what he should do with his breastplate. I'm with those who say leave it alone - any attempt to polish will only devalue it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Posted September 12, 2022 Share #10 Posted September 12, 2022 1 hour ago, VMI88 said: Except that he asked the group for recommendations on what he should do with his breastplate. I'm with those who say leave it alone - any attempt to polish will only devalue it. Also except that he didn’t ask for opinions on whether he should / shouldn’t. His request was HOW to “shine up the brass… that also won’t ruin the item?” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinO Posted September 13, 2022 Share #11 Posted September 13, 2022 Well the button has gold gilding on it, your breastplate does not hence the patina. If you polish it, it will tarnish again pretty quick, compared to the button which would need to loose it's finish before tarnishing. I'm squarely in the camp of leave as is. There are plenty of brass polish products out there though. If you must. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VMI88 Posted September 13, 2022 Share #12 Posted September 13, 2022 15 hours ago, Blacksmith said: Also except that he didn’t ask for opinions on whether he should / shouldn’t. His request was HOW to “shine up the brass… that also won’t ruin the item?” Correct. But there is no way to shine up the brass without ruining the item. Nobody is disputing the fact the original poster can do whatever he likes with the breastplate, but he is being provided the information he requested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blacksmith Posted September 14, 2022 Share #13 Posted September 14, 2022 13 hours ago, VMI88 said: Correct. But there is no way to shine up the brass without ruining the item. Nobody is disputing the fact the original poster can do whatever he likes with the breastplate, but he is being provided the information he requested. Whatever. Not trying to start a debate. In your opinion it ruins it - there are other opinions. He asked how, not if, it’s really that simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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