Polish brass or leave patina?

[ZZZ]

I was just wondering what everyone does when cleaning their guns. I was cleaning a Kentucky rifle last night (repro) that had a nice patina, but decided to polish it up. It sure looks purdy, but now I'll have to keep after it. I can't bring myself to do it to my 66 yellowboy though. What do you all do with the brass on yours?

 

[Russ Jackson]

One word...Flitz...Russ

 

[TheWall]

Try Nevr Dull -- I like my brass nice and shiny.

 

[Cosmoline]

I'm the opposite. I love brass with a nice patina on it. I figure you're removing brass with the polishes, so why do it?

 

[WALKERs210]

When I first went on board ship my cleaning station was on the bridge. Now in the Navy just about everything is brass and once a day it has to be polished. Hard to get old habits to go away but I do love to see the nice patina just seems more natural on a firearm.

 

[Jaymo]

For hunting, I'd probably leave it tarnished.
Just to shoot it for pleasure, I'd polish it and possibly wax it to prevent further tarnishing.
Flitz is good stuff.

 

[mykeal]

Patina

 

[bannockburn]

Flitz is great for polishing brass, but on my BP Hawken I didn't like the bright shininess of the brass. It looked too much like "factory built/store bought". So I dulled it a bit with some steel wool and have let it turn to a nice patina. Just looks more authentic that way.

 

[theshephard]

Wow.. you should not even consider removing the patina on an original model 1866. Leave the patina. Even Antiques Roadshow will tell you this, but certainly any book or collector regarding antique firearms.

If it's a repro, then it's just a matter of opinion. My own opinion for both the repro KLR and a repro YB would be to let it get a nice patina, because even a repro I'd want to have a nice 'classic' look. Heck, they even sell 'antiqued' finishes on guns now. Make your own and save a few bucks, right?

 

[ZZZ]

Yeah, it's a Navy Arms Uberti repop 66. I don't think I'll polish that one, but the ones I bought new I just feel compelled to keep the shine on.

 

[Foto Joe]

If it's hangin' on wall, then it might get polished. Personally, if I've got one, it gets loaded and shot, therefore the brass is going to get tarnished.

In reality, that "Patina" we're talking about actually protects the metal from further corrosion. This is one of the reasons that copper, bronze and brass are used in areas of salt. It's not that they don't corrode, it's that their corrosion protects them from further corrosion.

Just more worthless trivia...

 

[BHP FAN]

patina.

 

[Armored farmer]

I hunt with my BP Hawken. I don't want anything shining whilst I'm on the prowl.

 

[English Bob]

patina

 

[madcratebuilder]

When I get a new to me brasser I well polish it but allow patina to develop. You can use oven cleaner to start the patina on a fresh polish job.

 

[Digger Odell]

Hi ZZZ!!

Most brass that I have is well aged, I would never consider polishing to remove the natural patina. It just adds to the original look. Granted some pieces look great polished, it's just not the right thing to do to what I have. It's what gives you pleasure.

Digger.

 

[Russ Jackson]

You might find this site interresting.

http://www.sciencecompany.com/patinas/patinaformulas.htm#12

Enjoy...Russ