✅ SOLVED how to clean my brass lion key?

[brandonsmith]

how to clean my brass lion key? Added after pics!

Ok so i know what it is and how old it is, it was pretty easy to find out quite a bit about this key. What i don't know, is how to return it to a nice shiny brass color. Any thoughts?




After Pic!

 

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[AU Seeker]

My first thought is to use Brasso, it's a brass polish, the original formula was changed in 2008 to conform with US volatile organic compounds laws and I haven't used the new formula so I don't know if it works as well as the original formula.

Brasso - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That being said there are other brass polishes on the market that should do the job, other more knowledgeable members may have a better suggestion on cleaning the key.

 

[woodstock]

Well it's just a fairly common key without any value besides it's weight in Brass so I'd just scrub it lightly with ultra fine steel wool and soap or a Drumel with a buffing wheel and jewelers rouge . It's fast and EZ ... Woodstock

 

[brandonsmith]

Well it's just a fairly common key without any value besides it's weight in Brass so I'd just scrub it lightly with ultra fine steel wool and soap or a Drumel with a buffing wheel and jewelers rouge . It's fast and EZ ... Woodstock

i found info, that says it is something other than a fairly common key. MasterLock only made keys with the full bodied lion on them, from 1921 to 1933. Some of them are going any where from ten to even more than twenty dollars on ebay.

 

[brandonsmith]

My first thought is to use Brasso, it's a brass polish, the original formula was changed in 2008 to conform with US volatile organic compounds laws and I haven't used the new formula so I don't know if it works as well as the original formula.

Brasso - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That being said there are other brass polishes on the market that should do the job, other more knowledgeable members may have a better suggestion on cleaning the key.

wow, i have pretty much a full bottle of brasso under the sink, it never gets used and i totally forgot about it. Thanks!

 

[Gunrunner61]

i found info, that says it is something other than a fairly common key. MasterLock only made keys with the full bodied lion on them, from 1921 to 1933. Some of them are going any where from ten to even more than twenty dollars on ebay.

Then I would think that if you clean it up all shiny and new looking, then you strip away the value............jmho.......HH

 

[mick56]

All my brass keys get thrown in the tumbler with the pennies.

 

[fadetoblack]

I know it's not copper but would soldering flux work? I've thought about using it on some copper pieces o have

 

[brandonsmith]

Then I would think that if you clean it up all shiny and new looking, then you strip away the value............jmho.......HH

the ones on ebay are shiny, some not. but i don't have any intentions of selling it.

 

[Breezie]

Then I would think that if you clean it up all shiny and new looking, then you strip away the value............jmho.......HH

Gunrunner is correct. Most people want to buy a vintage item with vintage patina, and if you polish it, it's somewhat like cleaning a coin. Personally, I wash it with some bottled or distilled water. Neat find Breezie

 

[brandonsmith]

Gunrunner is correct. Most people want to buy a vintage item with vintage patina, and if you polish it, it's somewhat like cleaning a coin. Personally, I wash it with some bottled or distilled water. Neat find Breezie

I strongly agree, but i really like this piece and plan to keep it. I will post after pictures very soon, i think its awesome all cleaned up, not quite finished though.