Patina in Brass FP.

[BadsCase]

I recently got a TRC brass FP. Wondering what is the safest and most effective way of removing patina. How do you clean yours? Ive seen YT videos on removing patina on brass things but not exactly on FP. I know that they are the same thing BUT what I worry is getting scratches on the FP if I use those vinegar+baking soda technique. Baking soda can make micro scratches which I’m afraid might happen with the FP. I have sweaty hands soooo 3rd day of using the FP developed patina already huhu. 

[silverlifter]

Ketchup.

[BadsCase]

36 minutes ago, silverlifter said:

Ketchup.

Have you personally tried it? Or just from YT? 

[mizgeorge]

Or just let the patina develop - that's how brass pens become unique to their owners. Once you get past the first bit, they start to look a lot nicer. Much less work too.

[VersoFolio]

Hi mizgeorge, I'm writing everyday with a cute little ystudio Copper and it's looking so mottled and beautifully discolored. I've been waiting for it to happen and it has magically transformed. We've been chatting about this on another thread and there are some lovely examples of 'patina'.

My feeling is, leave it as a mark of your touch. It is very intimate when you and your instrument are interacting chemically and are imprinting on each other... bonding at a molecular level.

Am I reading too much into it? Maybe I need to get out more! Oh, that's right I can't get out more!

Could it just be a guy thing...? My ystudio Brass is discoloring well also. It arrived with a little sheet of sandpaper in the box to scuff and customize the surface but I didn't use it.

[Karmachanic]

Tarnish is what brass does. Brasso has been keeping the brass plaques in "the City" bright and shiny for 100 years.

Mind you, the pen is marketed as developing patina.

 

 

[corgicoupe]

I remember using Brasso on my belt buckle every night when I was in military school in New Jersey. It had to be highly polished each day for inspection, along with the spit shined shoes.

[silverlifter]

7 hours ago, BadsCase said:

Have you personally tried it? Or just from YT? 

 

I used it on a brass flashlight. Worked fine.

[steve50]

I don't have anything knowledgeable to say but the patina looks very beautiful to me 😊

[pearlfox]

It's a soft metal, scratches are as inevitable as oxidation.  Acids (eg, white vinegar) can remove the oxides without abrasives though, and wax or lacquer can protect it after polishing, though both will wear over time and need to be reapplied.

[sansenri]

You can easily remove the patina with a silver cleaner product.

On a pen I would probably first try using one of those ready tissues for cleaning silver, but you can also use silver cleaning cream type of products. Put a small amount on a very soft cloth, wipe it on the brass gently, leave it just a few minutes to act, then use a clean very soft cloth to wipe the pen until it shines. Then wash the pen with soap and water. The ideal cloth would be made of wool.

[BadsCase]

Thank you to all of you!

[Steveg58]

Brass is basically copper and zinc. If you repeatedly apply anything acidic you will start to deplete the top layers of zinc and the brass will start to become copper coloured (ketchup contains various acids).

 

Depending on your local environment if you remove the patina you may also start to get actual corrosion of the copper which will be greenish coloured  and that would be bad. I have a brass fountain pen made by Blackstone from 100 year old brass tubing salvaged from a railway workshop. He was careful to keep the patina intact and there has been no corrosion. Patina is generally thought to be a good thing but your mileage may vary.