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Brass Bed, How Do I Add Character?

I have a brass bed with clear lacquer finish, 25 years old. I would like to remove the clear lacquer finish and enjoy a brass finish with more character. How do I do this? Is this a bad idea?

Lois Anne Indorf
hobby - San Francisco, California
2004

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Hi Lois Anne, you first need to pumice ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] your bed and then polish it afterward (a car polish could do...). One thing though: don't pumice too much as you might go through the brass plating (if plating it is...)

Seb Sanchez
- Montpellier, France
2004


Vintage Brass Beds & Parts on eBay [affil link]

If the metal is magnetic it is probably plated brass on steel; if it is non-magnetic it is probably solid brass.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004

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What does it mean to pumice brass. I have two brass lamps with deep engraving on which I used Brasso ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , which I have made difficult to clean.

Gloria Rainier
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2004

I'm not sure that I agree that pumice is the best way to remove lacquer; lacquer thinner ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] Warning! highly flammable! might be better in some cases. But to answer your question pumice is finely ground lava -- it's an abrasive cleaner. It's available in powder, little sticks, and large blocks, and I think that that some household cleaners like ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] might include pumice. But it sounds like it would be unlikely to help you in cleaning out the engraved areas.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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I recently brought a brass bed for my new home and I would like to restore it to a reasonable condition. It is two toned with a darker shade for the rails and a light shade for accents on the corners. I think the lighter shades are painted. There is small amounts of rust where some of the joints come together and the brass is very tarnished. I have tried the lemon/salt/water mix and Brasso and while it took the dirt off, I still have some tarnish and rust. It also revealed that there are spots where the entire finish has been scratched off (like where it was sitting up against a wall). Is there any thing I can do? Or should I just paint over it?

Thanks

Alecia Mullins
- Farmville, Vermont
2004

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Ed. note: If you would like to have it replated, Alecia, please see finishing.com's Jobshop Directory.

I want to know how to age a brass plated headboard. I am also considering a painted finish to give it that cottage look.

Lisa Wantland
group home manager - Jefferson, North Carolina
2004

Ed. note: Brass can be darkened with liver of sulfur, Lisa. But with plated brass you don't have much thickness to work with , so test it on a non-obvious spot, and even then there may be inconsistency problems.

Sourcing: liver of sulfur ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links]