Aquascape Brass Care Instructions - Manual

Brass Care Instructions
©2009 Aquascape, Inc. • All World Rights Reserved
Aquascape, Inc.
St. Charles, IL 60174 • Brampton, ON L6T 5V7
www.aquascapeinc.com
HANDLING
Bare bronze should not be handled with bare hands. Salts and oils from your skin can etch into uncoated metals and may even cause permanent dam-
age to the finish. Fingerprints are often discernible as darkened disfiguring marks on uncoated areas. Soft cotton gloves or any clean glove or rag may
be employed for this purpose.
Lift objects from their center of gravity, and avoid lifting objects by lip, limbs, handles, spouts or other extended areas; the metal may have developed
unseen weaknesses over time and may bend or break unexpectedly.
STORAGE
Most home environments are safe, but generally speaking, basements are damp and therefore should not be used for storage. Do not allow dust to ac-
cumulate on stored objects. You may choose to drape plastic or cloth curtains around storage shelves, but do not place statues in sealed plastic bags;
the danger of moisture condensation on the metal outweighs the benefit of dust protection.
CLEANING AND POLISHING
If you choose to attempt cleaning your bronze or brass, and you are sure of the surface appearance you wish to achieve, some of the following sug-
gestions may help:
CLEANING
Stable or painted surfaces should be kept dust free. Vacuum clean all stable statues regularly, using the nozzle attachment with a brush. A bristle
brush, or a toothbrush may help to raise dust from crevices.
Sometimes surface grime can be removed satisfactorily with soap and water. We recommend a plain soap in a 3% solution in water. Use deionized or
distilled water, and rinsing is a very important step. If the dirt you want to remove is very greasy, “Vulpex Soap” may be used in mineral spirits, in a 3%
solution; rinse with straight mineral spirits. It is especially important to remove old polish residues, which appear usually as dark green, gray or white
deposits in cracks.
Calcareous (lime or hard water) deposits may respond to a 10 % solution of regular “Calgon” (sodium hexametaphosphate) in distilled or deionized
water. Allow the solution to soak into the crust and then remove by scrubbing with stiff brushes. Then rinse thoroughly in distilled water.
DEGREASING
The presence of degraded oils and grime may promote corrosion. You can degrease most uncoated statues with mineral spirits. (Please consult the
manufacturer or Material Safety Data Sheet for complete safety requirements.) Wipe it over the surface in a small, inconspicuous area first to test for
discoloration. After the solvent has evaporated, check for any undesirable effects (usually caused by residual dust or an old finish). Continue the clean-
ing process, using mineral spirits- dampened cloths to lift the grime. You may find that sharpened bamboo skewers, nylon bristle “parts brushes”, craft
stencil brushes or even tooth brushes help you to get into crevices and joined areas. If straight mineral spirits does not seem to be raising the grime, a
surfactant, “Vulpex Soap”, may be used in a 1% solution in mineral spirits. Be very certain to rinse with clean mineral spirits to remove residual deter-
gent. This method is Not recommended for old copper with richly patinated surface accumulations.
CORROSION REMOVAL
Very heavily corroded objects, like those unearthed or found in water, statues with original painted surfaces or those damaged by salts may require the
assistance of a trained expert. By attempting to remove thick corrosion with steel wool or other scrapers, you may end up scratching or abrading the
metal surface.
POLISHING
Some bronze may have been polished to a bright finish, and altering original surfaces may reduce the historical value of an object. As mentioned
above, some dark, stable surfaces may be considered “patinas.” Collectors should be aware of any special finishes, especially lacquers and patinas,
which may determine the correct color the metal should be, the degree to which it should be cleaned and/or the degree to which it should be polished.
If you come across any special coating after you have cleaned off the simple dirt, you may wish to consult with an expert before proceeding.
If you wish to return a bronze or brass object to its original, polished appearance, it is usually possible with a fair amount of elbow grease and a good
polishing compound.
Old lacquers must be removed prior to polishing. If the lacquer is original and in fairly good shape, you may consider investing in a professional treat-
ment to preserve it. Lacquer removal is best done with acetone, preferably by immersion. Acetone is a volatile solvent that should never be used in a
poorly ventilated area. (Please consult the manufacturer or Material Safety Data Sheet for complete safety requirements.)
Polishing with a mild abrasive is the only safe cleaning method recommended. Copper and its alloys are relatively soft metals. Commercially available
“dips” may contain undesirable components such as hydrochloric or sulfuric acid which act too quickly and remove more metal than simple polishing
does.
Some commercial paste polishes are quite abrasive and may scratch your fine metalwork. For statues not suffering from heavy corrosion “Duraglit
Wadding” polish may be somewhat less abrasive than others. Light polishing may be done using jeweler’s cloth containing rouge ( i.e. “Birk Cloth”,
“Hagerty Glove”). A museum-proven, safe polishing method is as follows: