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Cleaning Gold Colored Brass Mods

ScReWbALL

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I’m pretty much a “Copper Only” type of guy with my tube mods and know how to clean those setups well, I was just curious if I can use the same cleaning procedure on a Gold Colored Brass Tube.
I usually take a mild dish soap and give it a good brushing with a toothbrush, let it drip dry and then soak all components in white vinegar or alcohol for at least an hour, but if any of that will strip the gold coloring off. It’d be nice to know.
I don’t mind the patina look on my Copper Mods, but this Suicide King’s Purge Mod (Clone) is an instant head turner when it’s polished up really well and I’d like to keep that up.
Recommending pastes or products is all well and good, and I’m sure that’s best and will go and get some chemical cleaning agent to do the job...I just don’t want to run it through my usual gambit of cleaning tonight to realize I’d just stripped off the gold coloring and now simply have a brass tube.
Thanks in advance for any help/info!
Oh, and here is a pic of the mod currently...it used to be damn close to how nice and shiny the Drop RDA that’s on it is...that’s how I was able to tell it was cleaning time.
1792336b73d26a449384e27b174b0bff.jpg



Do things by the book...just be sure that you are the author
 

gpjoe

Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Try some Frank's Red Hot sauce. I've used it and the acid in the sauce works great for removing tarnish from brass, and it's not abrasive. If you want to try a commercial product you could get some Never Dull wadding or some Simichrome polish. Those are mildly abrasive, though work very well for polishing to a bright shine.
 

r055co

VU Donator
Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I use Wrights Copper Cream to clean my Copper, Brass and Aluminium Mod's, works excellent.
 

zephyr

Dirty Pirate Meg
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Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Unlisted Vendor
I’m pretty much a “Copper Only” type of guy with my tube mods and know how to clean those setups well, I was just curious if I can use the same cleaning procedure on a Gold Colored Brass Tube.
I usually take a mild dish soap and give it a good brushing with a toothbrush, let it drip dry and then soak all components in white vinegar or alcohol for at least an hour, but if any of that will strip the gold coloring off. It’d be nice to know.
I don’t mind the patina look on my Copper Mods, but this Suicide King’s Purge Mod (Clone) is an instant head turner when it’s polished up really well and I’d like to keep that up.
Recommending pastes or products is all well and good, and I’m sure that’s best and will go and get some chemical cleaning agent to do the job...I just don’t want to run it through my usual gambit of cleaning tonight to realize I’d just stripped off the gold coloring and now simply have a brass tube.
Thanks in advance for any help/info!
Oh, and here is a pic of the mod currently...it used to be damn close to how nice and shiny the Drop RDA that’s on it is...that’s how I was able to tell it was cleaning time.
1792336b73d26a449384e27b174b0bff.jpg



Do things by the book...just be sure that you are the author


If it's just gold paint, I wouldnt use anything stronger than dish soap and hot water, and gentle washing. If it's paint, you dont want Any type of chemical, polish, or abrasive

Just go with the gentlest method first...see if that works and escalate if necessarry :sad:
 

r055co

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Member For 4 Years
Here's my Brass Raptor G2, Wrights works excellent, that is if it's not just paint or coating.

cTxGnO8.jpg
 

Coval51

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Member For 3 Years
Polished brass always has that gold look, that is 464 Naval Brass as there are many different grades of brass. Now white brass is another animal altogether. In your case, the finish dulled because of what is called "patina" (Google it). Just get some low abrasive polish that says on the bottle that it's good for brass and use according to instructions. (Meaning, lightly buffing polish off, you'll see your polishing rag turn black.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J727A using Tapatalk
 

Hype

Bronze Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Mothers wheel polish my man . Yes it works on everything ...
 
I use cape cod metal polishing cloths on all my brass and copper mods. It works like absolute magic!
Regarding gold paint or plating, if it was done right you shouldn't have any issue. However, generally plating may start to chip if you dunk it in vinegar/alcohol for an hour. I'd suggest simply cleaning it with soap and water, you shouldn't need anything more.
 

KingPin!

In my defence, I was left unsupervised ^^
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Cape cod polishing cloths or wrights copper cream both bring up brass lovely
 

gsmit1

Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Anybody ever use NEVER DULL.

I was in Walmart earlier and saw this good sized tub for under 6 bucks and thought I'd take a chance on it.

I mean to tell ya. A tiny piece, like the size of a couple cotton wicks. made my copper vindicator, which had some pretty brown patina on it in spots, gleam like the sun. I used it on the threads and contact too. Seems to completely evaporate, leaving no detectable residue and none of the rather powerful odor from whatever solvent they use.

I was quite pleasantly surprised.
 

Bigrick

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
ECF Refugee
Anybody ever use NEVER DULL.

I was in Walmart earlier and saw this good sized tub for under 6 bucks and thought I'd take a chance on it.

I mean to tell ya. A tiny piece, like the size of a couple cotton wicks. made my copper vindicator, which had some pretty brown patina on it in spots, gleam like the sun. I used it on the threads and contact too. Seems to completely evaporate, leaving no detectable residue and none of the rather powerful odor from whatever solvent they use.

I was quite pleasantly surprised.
I will try it we have a Wally world a couple blocks away. Nice price I buy the Cape Cod wipes at Lowe's and they are not inexpensive about the same price for a pack of 10 or 12. Bet a tub of the Never Dull will last quite a while. Thanks for the info. I will let you know how it works for me as I do have mods to clean currently and out of my usual stuff.
 

gsmit1

Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Never Dull was what I have used for years because it will actually get blue off chrome with enough elbow grease although it will scratch soft metals.
I didn't notice any abrasives, but if they're that fine, you'd have to rub pretty hard I'd I'd think. And they would polish out? I'm not arguing, I'm just looking at this copper mod and I can't see any scratches.
 

gsmit1

Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I also used a soft fluffy microfiber cloth afterwards too.

The tarnish came off on the cloth and I was dumbstruck. Wadda shine.
 
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SteveS45

Diamond Contributor
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Member For 5 Years
I didn't notice any abrasives, but if they're that fine, you'd have to rub pretty hard I'd I'd think. And they would polish out? I'm not arguing, I'm just looking at this copper mod and I can't see any scratches.

I used Never Dull on my Chrome Dobro years ago and there is really fine marks in it if you look carefully. That Guitar is made of Chrome Plated Brass so I should have just used polish.
 

SteveS45

Diamond Contributor
ECF Refugee
Member For 5 Years
I also used a soft fluffy microfiber cloth afterwards too.

Microfiber cleaning cloths are the most awesome thing I have ever found for polishing~! I but them by the 10 pack and nothing better for polishing.
 

gsmit1

Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I used Never Dull on my Chrome Dobro years ago and there is really fine marks in it if you look carefully. That Guitar is made of Chrome Plated Brass so I should have just used polish.
I do plan on properly polishing my mods occasionally too. I'll keep an eye out.
 

gsmit1

Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Microfiber cleaning cloths are the most awesome thing I have ever found for polishing~! I but them by the 10 pack and nothing better for polishing.
I get these big fluffy white ones at dollar tree. Those things are really good.
 

SteveS45

Diamond Contributor
ECF Refugee
Member For 5 Years
I do plan on properly polishing my mods occasionally too. I'll keep an eye out.

I doubt you would see marks in brass but in paint I would wager 2 bits you can see them. But what the fuck do I now anyway? :vino:
 

SteveS45

Diamond Contributor
ECF Refugee
Member For 5 Years
I get these big fluffy white ones at dollar tree. Those things are really good.

I usually pick them up at Big Lots. Although they redid the store and the prices are higher nowadays but still a bargain at 60¢ a piece.
 

SteveS45

Diamond Contributor
ECF Refugee
Member For 5 Years
One of the things I find so great about using these is it gets wax out of those places it is hard to get with just a regular cotton cloth. So cleaning a MOD with engraving or etching might be something great. I don't polish my MOD's just wipe that bitch down and slap a new coil in~! LOL
 

gsmit1

Platinum Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I doubt you would see marks in brass but in paint I would wager 2 bits you can see them. But what the fuck do I now anyway? :vino:
Alot more than me. You've been in this game alot longer than I have.

One of the things I find so great about using these is it gets wax out of those places it is hard to get with just a regular cotton cloth. So cleaning a MOD with engraving or etching might be something great. I don't polish my MOD's just wipe that bitch down and slap a new coil in~! LOL
Yes ,they are great for nooks and crannies for sure.
 

SteveS45

Diamond Contributor
ECF Refugee
Member For 5 Years
Alot more than me. You've been in this game alot longer than I have.

I never claimed to know everything and never will but I do have a hell of a lot of real world experience that I share because I was taught from a young age to share the wealth, but my way isn't the only way. It may work for me or others but I learn something new everyday.
 

marter

VU Donator
Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
A little off topic, but what does everyone use to clean the inside of a tube mod, especially one that doesn't have a removable top. I've been using a screwdriver to shove a microfiber cloth but I'd like to find a better way.
 

BoomStick

Gold Contributor
Member For 5 Years
A little off topic, but what does everyone use to clean the inside of a tube mod, especially one that doesn't have a removable top. I've been using a screwdriver to shove a microfiber cloth but I'd like to find a better way.
Depends on what it’s made of. Copper requires something with vinegar and brass needs ammonia.
 

marter

VU Donator
Silver Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I get that, I meant the tool (bottle brush, toothbrush, etc.). Any good ones out there?
 

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