peripatetic

I just installed one a month ago on a friend's bike, and it's already getting quite tarnished. I just read up about polishing brass and using olive oil or lacquer to leave a protective finish, but I'm wondering if anyone here has any other tips to minimize tarnishing?

USAZorro

Nevr dull works great to shine brass up - but it doesn't inhibit tarnishing.

unworthy1

it's a natural process: you have to keep "polishing the bell of the Queen's Navy" (sorry Gilbert and Sullivan) or you can spray a coat of clear lacquer...But, that lac will inevitably peel and then you get a really cr*ppy looking effect of streaky areas of shine and tarnish. Some polishes claim to inhibit tarnish but none will eliminate it, as long as there's air contact, and air has any moisture at all, there will be "patina".

Grand Bois

Just use Brasso every day.

Mike Mills

A polish will remove the tarnish. Wax and oil will inhibit the return of the tarnish but will not prevent it and won't hold it off very long.

Lacquer, applied properly will seal the surface for a while, preventing tarnoshing. Eventually, this too wil get penetrated. It will start as pinholes and proceed from there. You can dissolve the lacquer to remove it (denatured alcohol, lacquer thinner, acetone,...), repolish and reapply.

custermustache

We used to use Tabasco to polish the ship's bell when I was in the navy. It'll look like crap if you try to seal it - it's a tiny bell, just polish it once a week.

norskagent

I like mine tarnished, keeps maintenance way down.

tarwheel 

I vote for letting it develop a fine patina.

kendall

Agree with the patina, I feel it adds a lot to the look. Under most conditions it will tarnish to a certain point then stop.

However, if you like the look of it polished, shine it up then use either shellac or lacquer on it as mentioned earlier. The real problem with constant polishing, other than the time it takes, is that you ARE removing material each time you polish it.
I have a knife that I made years ago. From the near daily use, I've worn a divot into the bolster with my thumb. Which is the same thing you'd be doing with daily polishing.

Ken.

David Newton

Is this going to turn in to a chain-cleaning thread?

Ronsonic 

If you call it "patina" it looks a lot better than just being tarnished.

Wax will help keep it shiny.

peripatetic

This is the same bell; on my friend's bike, however, it's turned kind of blackish-green, not browning the way I expected. Maybe it's just in an awkward, "in-between" phase, like with my hair.

Mike Mills

The color of the tarnish is affected by the alloy composition. Often, the alloy is selected to give it good mechanical properties for forming (or for good tone), not to give a certain color when corroded. A little too much this or that and you don't get the green you were thinking of.

The thing about overcoating with lacquer or shellac is, it is a temporary measure at best. The coating makes it more difficutlt to remove whatever corrosion does occur, and surely, it will corrode, eventually.

manicmike

+1

balindamood

Just paint it gray.

SingeDebile

ooo not fair, I think actually the black green faze is the one that takes the longest to get usually... maybe some salt was involved in some way.

karmat

It does actually inhibit tarnishing for quite awhile. Depends on exposure to the elements, though. Your best shot is probably to oil or wax the thing, though. Get it all shined up to where you want it, then apply a thin oil or try automotive wax.

Personally I think some patina is part of the charm, though.

Karl

wahoonc

Patina is the way to go...now I have patina on my painted surfaces and my chrome too

Aaron