Brass / Copper: Before and After

[shado]

A friend asked me today about Brass/Copper lights and how often I clean them. I don't EDC my Brass/Copper lights, and rarely clean them. I do however EDC a Hinderer Brass Investigator Pen. The before is about a month of hard use and the after is about a minute with some Brasso and a paper towel,

Before


After


The result is more dramatic than the picture shows! Please post your "Before and After" pics

Thanks
Todd

[blackbalsam]

Shado, don't make me want a pen collection. Thats a beauty...Robert.

[shado]

Shado, don't make me want a pen collection. Thats a beauty...Robert.

Thanks Robert, but Pens and lights aren't that bad. Collecting knives is where things get a little crazy

Todd

[mhphoto]

Gorgeous pen! I'm a sucker for copper and its alloys. I rarely polish the patina off my solid copper Embassy Pen but when I do it has a beautiful pink luster that's to die for. I've got a brass Render K on order and I'm really trying not to get matching copper and brass Hinderer pens…

[Rees]

I just got this in the mail today


Its 2" in diameter and weighs in close to a pound, Solid copper!! Its coated, which i didnt expect, so it wont tarnish and im considering removing the coating.

[Bullzeyebill]

Rees, why remove the protective coating? Just wondering. I bought my wife a solid copper Alpha that she really liked when she saw one at SHOT 2012. It does need to be polished up ever so often. BTW, did you ever figure out why I liked the name Rees?

Bill

[Eric242]

Rees, why remove the protective coating?

I guess he, like me, prefers a patina on brass/copper. Personally, I like shado´s "before" picture much better. Back than I polished my brass LionCub and was really dissapointed by it´s "new" look.

Eric

[Rees]

BTW, did you ever figure out why I liked the name Rees?

Bill

I figured it out.

I like the copper, but in my opinion, its not the same as handling my copper zippo or maratac copper. It lost the smell and the feel of copper.

[mhphoto]

WHOA! Where do you get one of those things!?

[Rees]

WHOA! Where do you get one of those things!?

Search eBay for copper sphere. Their 99.99% pure Michigan copper and come in sizes from 15mm to the one I have which is 50mm.

[ElectronGuru]

Rees, why remove the protective coating?

Part of the appeal of copper is the look of copper and it's performance, color, etc. But another important part is its 'experience'. Newer metals are less fussy and offer many practical advantages, but you loose that connection, the experience watching the metal change (because of you, sweat/oil), applying a bit of elbow grease, then changing it again.

With a household full of it, it represented work, a problem to be avoided. With a few select pieces, it sparks feelings of romance that just aren't possible with aluminum.

[Rees]

Like I said it looks nice, but it lost the feel of raw copper. You can see the hammered texture, its just smoothed over by the coating. To some that may be fine, so they don't have to clean it. But to me its like eating steak run through a processor, its still steak, but it isn't the same.

[willydigger]

Copper new is very pretty. I started making copper skulls and they are awesome looking. A natural patina is very appealing too. I like it natural not forced. The wait is nice.



Here is a pic of a Brass, Bronze, and Copper.

[willydigger]

Part of the appeal of copper is the look of copper and it's performance, color, etc. But another important part is its 'experience'. Newer metals are less fussy and offer many practical advantages, but you loose that connection, the experience watching the metal change (because of you, sweat/oil), applying a bit of elbow grease, then changing it again.

With a household full of it, it represented work, a problem to be avoided. With a few select pieces, it sparks feelings of romance that just aren't possible with aluminum.

100% agree. Well said.

[gollum]

patina is what its all about...
shiny new is nice but I love patina
the most obvious is the bronze statue

I just finished this mokume skull...

[jjohnson34]

Those skulls are ALL badass guys. Nice. Wish I knew how to create like that

[shado]

I didn't think my Brass XM-L EDC had a patina.........

[jason22]

I think the patina of the skulls is great.