Rusting Brass?

[Palustris]

Hello the Camp!

As y’all may see from the photo below, the patchbox of my flintlock has apparently developed cancer of the brass. I store it on wall hooks in a climate-controlled residence in the Southeast, all steel surfaces lubed or lightly coated with rust preventative. In order to diminish the sheen of the piece’s brass fittings, I have left those essentially dry between big-game seasons. This strategy apparently worked well for all other brass parts, which led me to wonder whether the patchbox might be some form of cheap, brass-plated steel whose plating has begun to rust through. Although I haven’t yet expended much elbow grease attempting to scrub those unsightly spots into oblivion, brass polishes only seem to make them shine more brightly. Can any of you Metal Doctors tell me what’s going on here, and have you any recommendations as to how I might restore my firearm’s finish?
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd153/WaltatCampSwampy/FrontierPatchbox3Paint.jpg

Thankee, and a tip ”˜o the tricorn to all who contribute,

Walt

 

[Zonie]

If you have a magnet just hold it against the patchbox and see if it tries to stick. It won't stick to brass.

Do you have a cat?

No, that's not a joke. The spots look a little like they may have been sprayed on the patchbox and if it was unwaxed and unprotected some corrosion would result from being "anointed" (so to speak).

A good brass polish like Brasso should restore the surfaces if you do a lot of rubbing.
Avoid some of the polishes that are made for copper pans. It is much to rough of an abrasive to use on a patchbox.

You may also want to remove the patchbox before polishing it because the cleaner will get into the smallest cracks between the patchbox and the wood where it will turn white and look rather bad.

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you use " Brasso ", or other cleaners on the brass in the stock, use an old toothbrush and water to clean the excess out of the cracks. Just take light strokes, so you don't damage the stock finish. Let the stock dry after wiping the brass down. Then give both the stock and the brass a coating of wax to preserve your work. :thumbsup:

 

[Birddog6]

The last time I had brass look like that it had sat out in an old building & was exposed to battery acid.

I would take it off & clean it good with some baking soda paste first to neutralize whatever is on it, then clean it with some brass polish if you want it shiney again.

:thumbsup:

 

You have an acidic reaction going on there, if I had to guess I would say, looking at the way it is spotted it was over-spray from something like a can of soda. I would pull it from the wood, neutralize it and then polish it out.

Just my opinion and worth what you paid for it.

C

 

Good call on the cat Zonnie. Many years ago one of my cousins stored his battery of ML rifles and assocoated gear in loose fassion under his bed. Unfortuantely the family cat had a litter under there and by the time they decided to venture out and be corraled they had done some serious pee damage on brasswork that had been in the line of pee - so to speak.

 

[BrownBear]

I really wonder if we don't use the term "brass" pretty loosely. There can be all sorts of impurities in there, and they have to react differently over time.

I've got a whole drawer full of "rusted" brass, and no, it doesn't respond to a magnet. If anything it looks almost browned with some of it having spots of corrosion. What kind of "brass" is it? Old metalic cartridges I've picked up while wandering in the desert.

The most interesting "brass" is local to Alaska though. It's a mix of empty 50 cal, 20mm and 30mm cases picked up at low tide near old WWII coastal anti-aircraft batteries. It's spent over 50 years in saltwater. When I picked it up, I just rinsed it in freshwater and layed it out to dry. "Rusty" or browned is the best description, but it never met a magnet that would stick to it.

 

[mazo kid]

If those spots are etched, you may have to remove the patchbox and carefully file the spots out with a fine toothed file, then sand and buff smooth.

 

Good point there BrownBear. I would agree with you that brass certainally does "rust" in a fassion, and I think that a better term might be oxadize. Kind of like alunimum. Alunimum does not rust, but it sure is attacked by the elements (just like steelis)and it oxidizes - just like steel or brass. Granted the oxidation process is different for all the metels I mentioned here, but, none-the-less, they all give way to the naturel elements if not protected appropriately. This whole thread has brought back memories of when I was in the USMC and the hours spent on brass buckels, emblims and the buttons on my dress blues. Not to mention them darned howitzer shells the first shirt insisted on being Brassoed every day. I think I may be suffering from a delayed case of BBE (Barracks Brasso Exposure).

 

[Mulebrain]

When I was in the Navy, I was in charge of preventative maintenance of fire equipment among other things!

I have seen brass do that, and the best thing I ever used was cheap orange flavored Koolaide mix, and a tooth brush!

Get that patch box off, and let it soak in the concentrated Koolaide mix for a couple of days.

The acid should kill anything, and leave you with a good base!