How to Create an Antique Brass Finish
Each piece of brass is unique--metallurgists alter the ratio of zinc and copper in a brass piece depending on how it is to be used. Those choices affect the color and quality of the brass. But by using a simple solution you can give your brass pieces a darker, antique-like appearance, which is useful because most brass jewelry and ornaments fade after a few years. You can use a store-bought solution or a homemade solution. The homemade solution is a combination of one part ferric chloride to 10 parts water. Unfortunately, you cannot use the same methods for brass-plated surfaces. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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How to Create an Antique Brass Finish
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Strip any lacquer away with acetone and a cloth. You put small amounts of acetone directly on the brass and rub it with the cloth until the lacquer comes off. This might require some vigorous effort to remove the layers of finish.
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Rub the brass piece with a piece of sandpaper to remove any specks that will affect the polish and finish.
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Apply a mild detergent to clean the brass, once the surface is relatively smooth. Wash the surface with a wire brush.
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Place the brass piece in a bucket under a solution of one part ferric chloride to 10 parts water. Pop the bubbles that form along the brass's surface--bubbles will create unevenly colored splotches on the brass.
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Monitor the brass piece as it becomes darker in the solution. Remove the piece once it appears a few shades darker than the intended tone. Once removed from the solution, the piece's color will lighten.
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Dry the brass piece with a hand towel. Wet spots will also become dark splotches on the surface.
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Submerge the piece in the solution and retry the steps, if the color is not dark enough. If the piece is the right tone, consider placing a coat of polyurethane sealer to prevent grime buildup or corrosion.
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Tips & Warnings
Choose a well-ventilated space to work.
