Brasso removing engraving..

[stancato9]

I have an infinite stingray clone in brass that has patina'd. I have polished it only twice using Brasso and a microfibre cloth, and the engraving is already almost gone in some areas...

My question is, how do some people polish their mods so often and still have the logos on them?

Also, no matter how much I polish the tubes, I can't seem to get them back to that golden colour they originally were.

And one more thing, should polishing with brasso leave scratches? I notice scratches going in the direction that I am polishing.

Any advice or tips? Thanks.

 

[mackman]

Clone is your answer

 

[stancato9]

Clone is your answer

Oh no a clone!

But seriously, I know the engraving may not be as deep, but it is certainly at least 50% of the depth of the real thing.

So if I had an authentic one, the engraving would fade after 5 polishes?

 

[Aviationrich]

The engraving in cut into the metal, at least on my infinite stingray. Unless yours engraving was painted, the brasso is going to clean it. I've used brasso a few times on mine and it looks like your loosing it, but it's just the dirt/grime that brings it out more. In a few days it will stand out more.

Sent from behind the tree in your yard using instant pestering

 

[NatureBoy]

Brasso is abrasive. Cap Cod cloths or Mother's Mag Polish are better options.
I personally use Mother's on all of my brass and copper devices and it works wonders.

Anyway, regarding laser etching, it's not very deep and will eventually wear out sooner or later depending on what kind of polish you use.

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

You must have some sub micron depth engraving if brasso is removing it! In all my years polishing brass stuff in the army I can say I've never seen or been able to make much of a dent in anything less than very very very minor imperfections in any brass.

Maurice

 

[stancato9]

It is removing it! On the bottom portion of the logo, the engraving is almost flush with the tube, while it is deeper in the centre.

And yeah, last time I polished it, after a few days, the logo darkened up again.

Does anyone know how to get rid of the tiny scratches left behind from polishing?

 

[Aviationrich]

It is removing it! On the bottom portion of the logo, the engraving is almost flush with the tube, while it is deeper in the centre.

And yeah, last time I polished it, after a few days, the logo darkened up again.

Does anyone know how to get rid of the tiny scratches left behind from polishing?

It will patina again and those small marks/scraps will fill in.

Sent from behind the tree in your yard using instant pestering

 

[stancato9]

It will patina again and those small marks/scraps will fill in.

Sent from behind the tree in your yard using instant pestering

Sounds good, but it is quite noticeable. Is there any way to polish without leaving those micro scratches behind?

Also, when I compare the newly polished tubes to brand new brass gear, the polished tubes are more white, and the new gear has more of a rich, gold tone.

Is there any way to get that colour back?

 

[Aviationrich]

Sounds good, but it is quite noticeable. Is there any way to polish without leaving those micro scratches behind?

Also, when I compare the newly polished tubes to brand new brass gear, the polished tubes are more white, and the new gear has more of a rich, gold tone.

Is there any way to get that colour back?

Not sure if you can get the original color back. Those little scratches arent from polishing it if your using a good rag, it's from day to day use. Rings, pockets, dirty hands, all that kinda stuff will put those little nicks in it. I recently went to Walmart and in the jewelry section they have jewelry polish rags for sliver and gold. I got the sliver one and it cleans great! Their real nice for keeping that clean look after a heavy clean with brasso. here's mine after a brasso polish, it probably won't get that brand new look, but it's better than the grungy look.

Here's mine now

Sent from behind the tree in your yard using instant pestering

 

[stancato9]

Not sure if you can get the original color back. Those little scratches arent from polishing it if your using a good rag, it's from day to day use. Rings, pockets, dirty hands, all that kinda stuff will put those little nicks in it. I recently went to Walmart and in the jewelry section they have jewelry polish rags for sliver and gold. I got the sliver one and it cleans great! Their real nice for keeping that clean look after a heavy clean with brasso. View attachment 338191here's mine after a brasso polish, it probably won't get that brand new look, but it's better than the grungy look.

Here's mine nowView attachment 338193

Sent from behind the tree in your yard using instant pestering

I'm pretty sure the scratches are from the towel. They are perfectly vertical and near the top and bottom of the tube they swirl, which mimics the way the towel would travel.

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

Cotton balls and brasso have always worked for me on my brass, if your worried about fine marks on a heavily used item I might suggest cotton gloves.

Maurice

 

[stancato9]

Cotton balls and brasso have always worked for me on my brass, if your worried about fine marks on a heavily used item I might suggest cotton gloves.

Maurice

Please take your belittling attitude and leave this thread. There is no need for this type of response.

I can't believe you would talk down upon another on an enthusiast forum who has a perfectly reasonable question about their device.

 

[illitirit]

a tip from someone who frequently polishes mods and has also killed tons of engravings on mods lol.

I learned the hard way since I started polishing my mechs, I used brasso, I used cape cods, everything.

My engravings are all pretty much gone from my first early mech purchases.


What I do now is:

Ask your wife / girlfriend / sister / any girl in your life to have or borrow some clear nail polish. Most nail polish applicator has a brush of some type on it. Just use clear nail polish and go over all the engravings you want to keep. Basically stencil the engraving with nail polish. Wait like 15 minutes for it to dry.
Then go ahead and go to town on your mod with anything you like.

After your done and its all sitting pretty, simply take some acetone / nail polish remover and remove the clear nail polish. You now have a polished / cleaned mod without having done anything to your engravings.

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

Please take your belittling attitude and leave this thread. There is no need for this type of response.

I can't believe you would talk down upon another on an enthusiast forum who has a perfectly reasonable question about their device.

The reply is quite serious, brass is a very soft metal and any sort of use will result in fine scratches. Brass and cotton balls will do a fair job at removing most very fine imperfections, or look for a product called never dull, it is as much as I can tell a big chunk of cotton impregnated with a chemical similar to brasso but finer.

As for the cotton gloves comment, also quite serious. Some folks with polished mods don't like the finger prints and use gloves to protect their devices.

Brass can be polished to a very nice luster with some effort, I'll not blow smoke up anyone's rear and say its easy or in any way quick, but the fact is if your brass mod is in hand often the thing will require nearly constant attention to keep it shined.

My experience with brass is at least a couple decades older than vaping, so take it with whatever quantity of salt you feel is required, but if you want shiny brass it takes lots of effort or lots of protection (gloves work, and cotton works better than other materials in my experience).

Otherwise, enjoy the look of aged brass.

Maurice

 

[Johnny Phatsaqs]

I'm actually liking my Stingray the more it ages.

 

[The Torch]

Brasso is actually fairly abrasive for a polish. I never polished an object like a mod, but I found the best overall metal polish (of all I tried so far) is AutoGlym metal polish. It is much thicker than brasso, so you would want to use very very little at a time and work it into your rag first, else risk having it stay in the crack around the button and such places (and then possibly creep in). But it is so fine I even restore plastic safety glasses with it!!! (all other stuff just scratches them more and renders them totally useless.) Warning: a good metal polish turns shinyitis into an OCD called rubbinitis.

As for protecting the polish, you could check at the gun shop. Some stuff might help, some might be oily, some might do nothing at all. Just don't use blueing oil unless you like blue-green brass. Some stuff might also do an even job at polishing, but you'll have to find out the hard way.

 

[GMayberry]

Please take your belittling attitude and leave this thread. There is no need for this type of response.

I can't believe you would talk down upon another on an enthusiast forum who has a perfectly reasonable question about their device.

In my short experience here so far, Maurice has been quite knowledgeable, and far from belittling. When you are in an "enthusiast forum" asking a "perfectly reasonable question", you need to be open to ideas you didn't think of... that is why you asked the question in the first place, right?

When I read his response, I didn't as much as pause. It was only when I came across your comment that I even thought twice about his response.

You are on a forum with some great people, and will learn alot. Lighten up and enjoy your time!!

 

[B2L]

Cotton balls and brasso have always worked for me on my brass, if your worried about fine marks on a heavily used item I might suggest cotton gloves.

Maurice

Please take your belittling attitude and leave this thread. There is no need for this type of response.

I can't believe you would talk down upon another on an enthusiast forum who has a perfectly reasonable question about their device.

The reply is quite serious, brass is a very soft metal and any sort of use will result in fine scratches. Brass and cotton balls will do a fair job at removing most very fine imperfections, or look for a product called never dull, it is as much as I can tell a big chunk of cotton impregnated with a chemical similar to brasso but finer.

As for the cotton gloves comment, also quite serious. Some folks with polished mods don't like the finger prints and use gloves to protect their devices.

Brass can be polished to a very nice luster with some effort, I'll not blow smoke up anyone's rear and say its easy or in any way quick, but the fact is if your brass mod is in hand often the thing will require nearly constant attention to keep it shined.

My experience with brass is at least a couple decades older than vaping, so take it with whatever quantity of salt you feel is required, but if you want shiny brass it takes lots of effort or lots of protection (gloves work, and cotton works better than other materials in my experience).

Otherwise, enjoy the look of aged brass.

Maurice

In my short experience here so far, Maurice has been quite knowledgeable, and far from belittling. When you are in an "enthusiast forum" asking a "perfectly reasonable question", you need to be open to ideas you didn't think of... that is why you asked the question in the first place, right?

When I read his response, I didn't as much as pause. It was only when I came across your comment that I even thought twice about his response.

You are on a forum with some great people, and will learn alot. Lighten up and enjoy your time!!

Maurice's suggestion was a very good one and is a method used by the masters of the shiny mod around here. Not only do the gloves protect from scratching but also from the oils on your hand that will speed up the oxidation process.

 

[Ripshod]

Hasn't anyone thought of this?

When they're new give them a quick light polish to remove any marks/prints and then a light spray with a clear lacquer. I don't know if I'm wrong suggesting this but it seems like common sense to me.