I have some rather nice brass door handles on my conservatory - which originally (20 years ago!) had some sort of lacquer coating to stop them tarnishing. This has worn off over the years, and they have become tarnished. I have removed any remaining traces of lacquer, and polished them up so that they look good again. However, with no protection, they'll soon tarnish again.
Any suggestions of what to put on them to protect them?
TIA.
Brass musical instruments are coated in a lacquer to keep them bright and oxide free but they have to be totally clean and untarnished before spraying because the tiniest spot of residual oxide will spread into an unsightly blotch under the lacquer.
I don't make brass musical instruments but I do occasionally use hand-made brass fittings on my hand-made stringed instruments. I prefer to leave the brass open to the elements since a few years of polishing and repolishing will, in my opinion, build up a much more interesting patina than plain, shiny lacquered brass.
I have used Japlac successfully for small parts but you are on a hiding to nothing if everything isn't scrupulously clean.
Nick
Hardware shops have lacquers for this but as has been said you need scrupulous cleaning. Meths or better IPA should clean. Unless you spray you need a long soft paint brush, the type that sign writers use.
WD-40?
Brass lacquer.
There's only really one sort, a methacrylate. Not too hard to find, from makers like Rustins.
Brush, spray or dip. Keep dust off when drying, ideally in a warm conservatory. It's hard to get a good result with this stuff in a damp winter, but today is ideal.
Why bother? Just let a nice patina develop. Personally I hate highly polished brass, clean and used is much nicer...
Even if you relacquer 'em it'll only fall of again.
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