I’m doing some copperwork (3/4″ pipe) in a wide gate I’m building. I usually give my (exposed) copper a light sanding with 150 grit to shine it up and allow it to start oxidizing faster, but I was wondering, what’s a good chemical or whatever that would clean the copper without the sanding??
After cleaning we only touch the copper wearing gloves, for the fingerprints..
here’s pic of some similar copperwork ..
Replies
Have you tried Brasso? I know we used alot of it in Army Basic Training to clean and polish all the pipes in the latrines. Those pipes were so polished that you could see your reflection in them. I used it once on an old tarnished tea kettle once and easily polished it.
Brian
Have you tried Brasso? I JUST LOVE THIS POST!Long ago... In the Army we POLISHED everything with Brasso!A General came in and we was ...standin' tall..He asked if this was a parade ground or a Latrine?? Geeeee....We just looked at each other and I said "But it is clean!'I got 30 days extra duty! DAMN!
WillGeorge,I'd hate to add up the numbers of cans of Brasso, Johnson's paste wax, and bottles of pine oil I have been part of consuming during my Army career. First as a trainee, then Drill Sergeant, and later as an instructor at a Drill Sergeant School. I had a First Sergeant that would reject any latrine that you could walk into with out gagging on the smell of pine.Brian
any kind of acid solution will clean copper.
J W,
Rub with half a lemon (citric acid) first dipped into a dish of salt i Buff with several clean rags, then rinse clean and dry .
Polish occasionally with Crocus cloth or a cotton buffing wheel charged with Jewelers rouge. No finger prints! Steinmetz.
Joe; Lots of things will work for your purposes but it would be best if you keep the acid effects minimized. I'd suggest that you boil a few peeled potatoes and use the water you boiled them in. This works like magic without excessive corrosion. It's cheap and readily available too. You can also make some nice potato salad from the boiled spuds!(:-)
Well I don't know the name of the stuff, but my mom uses it all the time on her copper bottomed pots & pans. It's an abrasive scouring powder available at the grocery store specifically made for copper cookware. About 15 seconds or so rubbing with a scouring pad then rinsed with water and the copper on the pots looks brand new.
If you build it he will come.
Edited 12/25/2005 8:56 pm ET by douglas2cats
how about that print that comes on your standard 1" copper pipe??I'd like to get that off too ..I might try that citric acid and salt, to hasten the patina.potato water? never heard that one.here's a good song ;-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch.php?v=dK7Kw0dFFgc&search=hendrix
The potato water really works. Any solution works faster when it is warmer. Most salts will eat into copper surfaces rather quickly (including regular table salt) so a very dilute salt solution should also work well. One caution about salts is that they can keep on working until they are thoroughly washed off... so use them carefully. The salts also can damage plants if they are used in much quantity. Sparex is a commercial dip for all non ferrous metals and works well on copper but it seems like terrific overkill for your purpose.
The salts also can damage plants if they are used in much quantity. YEP.. The Romans did that to the farmers fields!
Joe,
We use some stuff on our copper kitchen counters called "Barkeepers Friend". Dry powder you mix with water to a paste. Works really well and with a little E-grease you can bring up a high shine in no time.
Andy
"It seemed like a good idea at the time"
I use a solution of 1 part salt and 2 parts vinegar. The acid in the vinegar cleans and the salt helps with the scrubbing.
David C
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