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Brass table with polish embedded in design

I have an Indian brass table with a chess board design which my dad brought home from WW2. There is 60 years of Brasso embedded in the design, showing as bluish grime. There is also black embedded in the design. Is the black part of the original finish, or is it 60 years of dirt? When I tried chipping out the Brasso with a manicure tool, the black stuff chipped out, too.

Vicki Cameron
home owner - Oxford Station, Ontario, Canada
November 29, 2010

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"Is the black part of the original finish, or is it 60 years of dirt?"

Does art imitate life or does life imitate art? The recesses will blacken naturally over the years because there is much less wear in the recesses than on the high areas. But it is not uncommon for the artist to blacken the recesses of artwork like this to give a tended natural look rather like informal gardens. You might be able to remove the Brasso remnants without disturbing the blackening by using a solvent. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
November 29, 2010

Thanks for the solvent suggestion. I used the lady's secret weapon, nail polish remover. Forgot to test on a small corner first. Now have a nearly-white square, but the old Brasso seems to be gone. Before I tried that, I had been chipping away the Brasso with a pointy stick. It also took out the black around the design. How can I put this back?

Vicki Cameron
- Oxford Station, Ontario, Canada
December 21, 2010

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Hi. Nail polish remover is acetone plus water, an effective solvent and also good at removing any lacquer which may have been there. Liver of sulfur is probably the easiest and fastest blackening agent, but apply it while wearing goggles ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , rubber gloves ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] and with good ventilation. This will blacken the high spots as well as the recesses, and buffing will remove the blackening except in the recesses. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
December 21, 2010

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January 4, 2011

Thanks for the liver of sulfur suggestion. To get good ventilation, I will wait until spring and do the work outside. In the meantime, I will carry on removing the brasso.
Thanks for your help.
Vicki Cameron

VIcki Cameron
- Oxford Station, Ontario, Canada

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Vicki

Please don't use solvent. The white stuff in Brasso is an abrasive mineral and will not dissolve. On the other hand the paint used to blacken the recessed areas almost certainly will.

Your best bet would be dilute washing up liquid, a soft brush and lots of rub. Wash off, dry and repolish if you need to.

Geoff Smith
Hampshire, England
January 6, 2011