Aquascape Brass Care Instructions - Manual (Page 2)

POLISHING METHOD 1
For most polishing use fine calcium carbonate, CHALK, (“whiting”) worked into a slurry or runny paste with equal amounts of ethanol (denatured alcohol, ethyl
alcohol) and distilled water. The paste is rubbed across the surface, working a small area at a time, with cotton balls or clean cotton rags. Detailed areas may
be polished with Q-tips in the paste or with cotton wadding on the end of a sharpened bamboo skewer. Depending on the design of your object, it may not be
desirable to over-clean every crevice, as this decreases the overall contrast of the detailing. It is important to remove all residual polish with distilled water.
Drying may be accelerated by adding ethanol to the rinse water, or by giving the object a final wipe with ethanol.
POLISHING METHOD 2
Some statues may not respond to the special treatment outlined above because the oxidation layers are too thick. For an admittedly more abrasive method,
use “Solvol Autosol” for general purpose polishing. Test for the degree of polish you wish to achieve on a small inconspicuous part of the object. Buff on
the polish with a clean rag. The surface must be rinsed with mineral spirits after polishing to remove any polish residues. This polish can be recommended
because it contains less ammonia than other commercial brands. Ammonia can cause long-term damage to valuable bronze objects.
COATING
Polishing exposes fresh, reactive metal to the atmosphere and, therefore, to further oxidation. You may wish to coat objects that will not be used. We lacquer
valuable silver and brass for their protection. This also eliminates the need for frequent polishing - a process that inevitably wears away the metal surface if
done frequently.
WAX
For most collectible bronze and brass statues, the best coating we can generally recommend is wax. Wax provides a relatively flexible coating that is easily
applied and that can be renewed. It can be used on top of original patinas and lacquers that you do not wish to disturb, as long as they are cleaned first. Use
“Renaissance” wax, or other “microcrystalline” waxes in most cases, because it is inert and will not yellow over time. It is applied to a degreased surface with
a clean cloth, and buffed out with a rag or bristle brushes (shoe polish brushes are great for this purpose).
For better adhesion, you may wish to dilute the wax in mineral spirits or varsol, brush it on, let the solvent evaporate and then buff with a rag or soft shoe pol-
ishing brush. An alternative, on objects made entirely of metal, is to gently and briefly heat the degreased surface with a hair dryer before applying the wax.
(Do not try this if heat sensitive materials such as wood and ivory are nearby.)
Again, wax is not an appropriate coating for all metal surfaces, especially where it is impossible to cover the whole object, or where the slightly glossy finish
would be inappropriate.
LACQUERS
Lacquering involves the use of solvents to clean the metal properly (acetone or tri-chloroethane). On large areas of metal a spray-applied lacquer achieves
the most even and durable finish. Spray lacquering is a task best left to qualified individuals with the training and equipment necessary to do a good job.
Poorly applied lacquers can actually cause more severe corrosion if small areas are left exposed.
If there are small areas or pieces of a bronze that need coating, you may achieve satisfactory results by brushing on a lacquer. We recommend “Incralac”
lacquer, which is formulated for use on copper and copper alloys. It is soluble in the solvents xylene and toluene and must be used in a well-ventilated area.
(Please request a Material Safety Data Sheet and instructions when you order this product) The metal must first be scrupulously clean, and you should
always wear gloves to handle the artifact after it has been polished. Just prior to applying the lacquer, the artifact should be given a final degreasing with
acetone. Lacquer gives a shiny luster to the metal.