Polish the Brass, or allow Patina

[Larry Beach]

I have a question for the owners, Do you allow the Brass on your Black Powder arms to gain their own Patina and tarnish naturally,(If Brass fitted)? Or do you keep the Brass polished up?

 

[Rifleman1776]

I allow patina.
When I got my first TC I didn't like the factory made look at all. I steel wooled the wood and used my dirty patches on the brass to patina.
On my fine flint longrifle, I do not polish more than once a decade to preserve the engraving.

 

[wattlebuster]

Its a personal thing how one wants his gun to look an I respect each side but for ME I like the patina look. Let it tarnish :thumbsup:

 

[mooman76]

I don't like polished guns and I like the aged look but to each his own.

 

[bpd303]

:metoo:

 

[Cowboy]

I own 2 50 cal. TC Hawken rifles. Both are in excellent condition. Once every few months I go over both rifles reswabing the bores with BC Barricade, repolishing the stocks and shining up all the brass to a high gleem. I don't shoot them anymore and plan on handing them down to my grandson when he gets old enough to shoot and take good care of them. I treat all my firearms like this on an ongoing basis. My dad taught me that after shooting your firearm you clean it before putting it away. The military reinforced the same discpline when I was in the service. I keep all my firearms in immaculate condition. I shine the brass. Respectfully, cowboys1062

 

[Larry Beach]

Yep, I agree there is no right or wrong answer to this one. I am a bit surprised it is 100% for the natural aging process, I would have thought it to be about 70-30% in favor of letting them Patina.
If I had expensive hand made custom rifles they would stay Natural and not polished! I have seen some of your beautiful rifles and have drooled over them....wow you should be so very proud to own them and HUGE praise to those wonderful Artists (Craftsman just isn't good enough to call them),that built them. With me, I let my old guns brass alone with only a coat of Remoil, my modern copies get kept up and shiny. But as I get older it sure is a pain! especially if you own a lot of Brass accys like Flasks and cappers, adjustable powder measures etc ..

I don't like polished guns and I like the aged look but to each his own.

 

[bigted]

I try to retain the least amount of brass as possible. what I can not replace with browned steel I tarnish as has been mentioned with BP fouled patch's.

I also keep everything oiled and rubbed out but that brass is just not my cup-o-tea.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Just use your gun and keep it clean. Keep it from getting grubby, but do not cut through the patina. Constantly polishing engraved surfaces will eventually make the design look vague and washed out.

 

[bubba.50]

if it's a gun I use for huntin' I prefer to let it tarnish. if it's a really nice one i'll polish it one time when I get it then forget about it.

 

[don hepler]

I not only let them tarnish, I help it along by wiping with cold bluing which turns the brass black, and then I rub it back to a more natural look of aged brass.

 

[house]

I have a T/C 45 caliber Hawken that I polish, but all others I either let age natural or helped them age quicker. All others have steel furniture. It's personal preference.

 

[Larry Beach]

I have one as a wall hanger and it seems no sooner than it gets a light patina, after a year or so naturally, I start hearing folks start making jokes about the Maid not doing her job polishing the expensive Brass....
What scares me is when I start to get the thicker
red rot starting, THAT takes some work to rub out!
Thanks all.....

 

[sidelock]

I love patina. Never polish. Just look at the door locks in Williamsburg Va. None polished .

 

[AZbpBurner]

Patina on certain guns is a sign of neglect, just as dirty and oxidized paint and bugs on the windshield of a vintage car. My
Dad built a percussion longrifle in 1970, and I did all the brasswork. It deserves to be cleaned and polished to look as new.

Your Brown Bess would have been kept spotless while issued and carried by active troops. Punishment for neglect to keep it spotless would have been certain.

 

[FishDFly]

It is like brushing your teeth, it is personal.

 

[Larry Beach]

AZburner that is a compelling quote about keeping them clean. I can also see the viewpoint of "The War is over, retire the gun and leave it as it is to age gracefully. I polish mine about once a year on the newer ones.

Patina on certain guns is a sign of neglect, just as dirty and oxidized paint and bugs on the windshield of a vintage car. My
Dad built a percussion longrifle in 1970, and I did all the brasswork. It deserves to be cleaned and polished to look as new.

Your Brown Bess would have been kept spotless while issued and carried by active troops. Punishment for neglect to keep it spotless would have been certain.

 

[robinsroost]

Because I use mine to hunt with, I let them age naturally. I don't want to be sitting in the woods, holding a mirror or mirrors. Keep yer powder dry........Robin :wink: :2

 

[Silky921]

When I first got mine everything had to look brand new. Over the years I have let everything age just because I like how it looks now. Tastes change I guess. Plus hunting with shiny metal in the woods doesn't exactly increase your odds.

 

[Billnpatti]

I have three rifles with brass furniture on them. None of them are hunting rifles so I keep them polished and looking like the day they came from the store. I do shoot them at the range but I care for my guns like they are babies. My hunting rifles are fitted with steel furniture that is browned (except for one that has color case hardened furniture) They are also cared for like babies but present no glare problems in the woods. When I pull a gun from my safe, I want it to look, as closely as I can keep it, like it just came from the store. Oh, some do have a few marks but they are minor and I fix any scratches or dings when they occur. Yeah, I'm anal when it comes to my guns but I grew up that way and it stood me in good stead in the service. The day I take my last shot, that gun will be immaculate and as close to new looking as I can make it when it goes back into the gun safe. For better or for worse, it's just the way I am.