umrgolf, I will try your cleaning tip. The buttons look pretty good. This sandy soil in NC seems to be pretty genital on em. icon_thumright Now I have to research the site and try to ascertain why they were there.
The diluted lemon juice is good cleaning advice.

A dusting of baking soda on the buttons during the final rinse, will also neutralize the acid from the lemon juice, and help prevent corrosion from appearing later. A light sealing coat of pure Vasaline also helps give the brass a slight gloss, as well as keeping the oxidizing air from the metal.
Coastal sandy soil is indeed
fairly gentle on brass.
Pretty genital has an entirely different meaning.
Kuger and BigCypressHunter: Thanks for the confidence vote. Fact is, there is a fear that if one says too much, sooner or later others will discover the fact that one is not nearly as smart as they thought one could be.

Therefor, I'm prone to be frugal with my words lest someone discover that I'm not such a.........um...........what was the name Kuger used?
CC Hunter