To polish or not to polish, that is the question?

[Joe Pyrat]

A good point, and it would avoid one becoming Buridan's ass, but then a statement attributed to Einstein comes to mind, "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." However lacking any evidence to the contrary one must proceed with what one has.

[sutlerjon]

"The formula up here on the coast of Maine is half boiled linseed oil, to half turpentine to thin it out and make it penetrate, with a capful of Japan drier. Straight linseed tends to stay gummy too long." from Crudbeard's post #15

I just mixed up some o' that to finish a set o' apostles an' it's workin' out fine. Looks great, I put the 1st coat on bout 30 mins. ago an' it's durn near dry a'ready. Gonna give it 'bout a hour an do it agin'.

Thanks for the tip Crudbeard

After further reading, I would like to recommend a Hoppes product, it's a solvent soaked cleaning cloth and it makes very short work of polishin' brass!

Jim

Edited February 6, 2009 by sutlerjon

[Patrick Hand]

Just outta curiosity... has anyone tried to use brick dust to polish metal?

I'd guess you'd smash up a small chunk of brick, and then pulverize it in a mortar and pestle until it was very fine... then use maybe oil on a cloth (so it kinda sticks) and then scrub the snot outta the metal with it....

It would be interesting to see how it works, but if someone else has already done so, did it work? and how well...

[blackjohn]

Just outta curiosity... has anyone tried to use brick dust to polish metal?

I'd guess you'd smash up a small chunk of brick, and then pulverize it in a mortar and pestle until it was very fine... then use maybe oil on a cloth (so it kinda sticks) and then scrub the snot outta the metal with it....

It would be interesting to see how it works, but if someone else has already done so, did it work? and how well...

No, can't say I have. But when I was a POW in an American prison camp our sergeant had us polish our brass belt fittings with ashes mixed with water.

[callenish gunner]

we used to make our own brass polish with a mixture of 2 parts white vinegar and one part each of flour & salt ...works well!!! cheap as all h@#l

[Graydog]

But when I was a POW in an American prison camp our sergeant had us polish our brass belt fittings with ashes mixed with water.

You were at Gitmo?

This technique is in several manuals in use at the time of the US Civil War, as burnished bight was not a new concept this strikes me as a very reasonable assumption for a type of "polish" in the GAOP or earlier.

Edited February 9, 2009 by Graydog

[blackjohn]

Close. Fort Frederick.

Actually, this took place during another (reenacting) life. I was in the Royal Artillery. The event was a POW Weekend at Fort Frederick, Maryland, which housed POWs during the RevWar. The event was one of the best RevWar events I participated in, as it turned out to be something akin to Hogan's Heroes, albeit with the Brits in the roll of Hogan & co, and the Americans as the bungling jailers.