antiquing brass?

[Dave Diaman]

If you didn't buy them from a reproduction brass maker there is about a 99% chance they are coated with lacquer. They need to be stripped before you can do anything with them.

[goaliedad]

I soaked them in lacquer thinner over night, then washed them. I still have some residue, so I cleaned them with acetone, then washed once again. I put them in a warm toaster oven for about 5 minutes to dry them.

[ed kerns]

I had decent results from the oven cleaner method, although not as extreme as MsNomer's. There was definite darkening and a wee bit of the mottling shown in her earlier photo. I sprayed the hinges and left them for an hour and a half. I may try one more treatment as I'm looking for an old Arts and Crafts effect.
For what it's worth, the product was EasyOff no fumes. My guess is it may be less caustic - and potentially less effective? - than some other choices.

[goaliedad]

I used Easy Off. not the no fume type. I will try again with real brass

[MsNomer]

Try leaving it longer.

[goaliedad]

MsNomer, you are right. The ammonia has been working for almost 24 hours and the piece has darkened. I will redo the oven cleaner trial.

[Restorer]

did you strip the lacquer from the hinges first.  All new stuff that I have encountered has a lacquer finish on it to keep the item from tarnishing.   You have to first strip the lacquer or neither way will work.

[goaliedad]

Yes. Soaked overnight in lacquer thinner, washed. Then used acetone.

[goaliedad]

Update: my test was with one size/brand of hinges. I used a different brand on the piece I am restoring

I soaked the hinges and screws in acetone ( finger nail polish remover) for about an hour. I pulled them out, wiped with cheese cloth and back in the acetone. Rinsed with water, and dried. Then into the ammonia fumes. My test took several days to get results. These are done in about 3 hours!

I am going to pick up another set and try the oven cleaner

I assume my first test pieces were not true brass, and these are. Interestingly, the screws reacted very quickly

[JerGar]

Under the category of what NOT to use: I tried a product called "patina it"  from a craft store and had very marginal results. A little dulling of the brass but no real change. I don't know what's in the product, but it smells like sulfur..

Probably has Liver of Sulfur in it.
I use Liver of Sulfur on Silver coin rings I make with good results.
Also works good on Copper.
Never tried it on Brass but from what I've read it doesn't work so great on it.