2ns Generation Colt Percussion cleaning Brass
My question is really a general question about properly cleaning the Brass on the 2nd Generation Colt Percussion revolvers. I have a few that I bought that had been stored in the original plastic bags for 30 years causing the Brass parts to be significantly tarnished....not a beautiful patina to me. Is the backstrap solid brass and how should I go about cleaning these parts?
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Yes, they are solid brass. The 1851 Navy is silver-plated brass.
Get some Never-Dull, available at Walmart. It's a soft, treated cotton wadding that will make your brass or silver shine like a mirror without scratching.0 -
the quickest way to ruin the value of and old silver dollar is to clean the patina / tarnish. that's how i keep my guns. a light coat of gun oil and back in the rack. if your going to clean them don't leave even the slightest scratch 0 -
My mom has a 'dip' for her sterling. Is there any way the OP could employ a brass 'dip' for the brass pieces? (After disassembly, of course). Is such a product available?
Thanks, Joe0 -
There's no brass dip that I'm aware of. I've used Never-Dull since boot camp and it's great stuff for removing tarnish.
I would never polish an original Civil War Colt as it has historical value that has taken over a century to accumulate tarnish and patina. That could also be true of a Second Generation blackpowder if you want the "old" look or are using it for re-enactments. However, for display purposes, there's nothing wrong with keeping the brass & silver shined up and they actually sell faster that way. It's just a matter of preference but I like keeping mine pretty!
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Thanks everyone (especially Spider7115),
I picked up some of the Never-Dull and have tried it on a spot that couldn't be seen if I did damage it......the trial run was perfectly successful with no scratches. As I stated at the beginning, this is not a pretty patina (and they aren't 1st Generation originals from the 1860's), it actually makes the brass looked horribly damaged so something had to be done. I bought a grouping of these 2nd Generation Colt's, and all of them had been stored for over 30 years in the boxes, in plastic bags, with a touch of oil in the bags....not good. Anyway, problem solved!0 -
I've been using it for over 40 years and it's great stuff. Keep using it when it turns black; it will keep pulling out that tarnish. That one can will last for years. Buff the silver or brass with a soft cloth for a mirror finish. Enjoy! 0 -
Tarnex will remove tarnish. It is available at most grocery stores in the housewares department. It chemically removes tarnish, but does not polish. The parts should be removed from the un before using Tarnex.
Nevrdull is very good, but I don't recommend using it very often on plating-especially silver plating. Neverdull is abrasive and silver plating is soft.
Edit: I use it on brass frequently.0 -
Hello Bill,
I originally looked at Tarn-X but the label says specifically "do not use on brass", so I stayed away from it.
Thanks,
Steve0
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