Hi All,
I just finished up a bunch of neat squares and dovetail gauges. I made them from brass and cocobolo. I tried some brass lacquer, but it scrapes easily. Anybody know of a better way to keep this stuff looking new? Perhaps one that will finish cocobolo at the same time?
Thanks
Replies
The lacquer finish on fine brass hardware is baked on and will stand a lot of punishment.
You might give your brass a 'satin' or 'brushed' finish using a wire wheel and spray 'satin' lacquer to cut the gloss
Personally,I like un coated buffed and waxed brass on my tools and instruments. Stein.
I would suggest a catalyzed automotive clear in as thin a coat as you can put it on and still have it look nice. Thinner coats of finish on a solid object like that tend to be more scratch and chip resistant. Mostly because thicker coats are more brittle.
I do know that M.L. Campbell is supposed to have a new lacquer designed specifically for coating metal. And Sherwin Williams has had one for a number of years too. I've never used either. But, having looked at the spec sheets on both I'd try the M.L. Campbell one first.
"Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud" - Sophocles.
Spent a few years as a metalsmith and this was a common question from clients. If the surface get rubbed like a marking gauge I know of nothing that can withstand abrasion for very long. I've used the Sherwin Williams for metal and it will wear. The conversion varnish will most likely wear as well. We even had some stuff clear powder coated. We weren't so concerned with wear in our application but dealt mostly with brasses and bronzes outdoors and in ocean climates. Keeping a finish bright takes reworking now and then even if not used as a working tool surface unless it's in a protected indoor environment.
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