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Antiques & Collectibles

Preserving nitrocellulose lacquer on brass?

8 years ago

How do you treat lacquered brass that has a small amount of lacquer wear?

I have a ~1950 brass instrument that has a lacquer on most of it, but in a few spots, the lacquer has worn off. Overall the finish is very good and I don't want to strip it. It's the old nitrocellulose stuff and it has aged to a nice shade of amber.

Can I polish these raw brass areas without damaging the remaining lacquer and then wax over both? Or should I just wax over without polishing the brown parts? (Polished brass won't match the lacquered brass anyway.) Naturally, the spots where the lacquer is worn are the spots that will continue to see wear--there is no harm to leaving them raw except for smelly brassy hands after use. So I'd like to put something on them...

Any suggestions? Thanks!

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Comments (4)

lindac92
8 years ago
That's the problem with lacquer on anything....it wears off and leaves spots of tarnish, and if you want to make the piece look good and not spotty, you need to remove it all and start over.
You can try a semi polish on the worn spots and quickly lacquer that spot....but I have never seen that work satisfactorily.
If your brass is clean....you shouldn't have smelly hands after touching it.

Is this a trombone or a trumpet?...Sax? If it's a good instrument it's worth taking to a restorer.
Fori thanked lindac92
Fori
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks. It's a cornet. A good instrument but not remotely valuable. I know there are some restoration guys who apply a tinted lacquer for that vintage look, but it just would be financially silly. :) I will probably wait until it gets dropped and actually needs restoration!
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lindac92
8 years ago
Again another question...is it currently being played regularly?
Fori
Original Author
8 years ago
Yes, it's back in service, although not with the person who originally wore off the lacquer. I'm hoping it gets new bald spots.

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