A quick way to weather brass, great for buttons!

[Bilge Rat]

I have always used ammonia to weather brass items. and just found a way to really speed up the process. Put the brass item or items in the freezer for a few minutes and warm the ammonia in a glass jar with a lid on top of a radiator, or heater vent, you don't want to make it real hot, just warm.
Then suspend your frozen item over the warmed ammonia in the air tight jar. Not sure why this works, but it works quite fast! Must have something to do with the warm ammonia fumes traveling to the cold item. This works great on brass buttons! Just be sure your brass item does not have a protective coating on it, it it does scrub it down with fine steel wool.

[Captain McCool]

Nice trick!

[Bilge Rat]

If your item is lacquered brass you can remove the lacquer finish or varnish from the brass object by soaking them in lacquer thinner overnight, or paint on a coat of acetone nail polish remover and soak the piece in boiling water. Dry the brass objects with a clean, soft cloth.

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

Ahhhh! Removing protective coating from brass fixtures, weathering them up, painting them, and polishing brass!

Brings me back to my US Navy days just before ship's inspection!!!

[Sponsored content]