After several weeks of soaking in penetrant and multiple tries I gave up on my attempt to remove the NRV from my old Radius No.1. Having accepted that the head of the NRV was hopelessly rounded off, I opted, with some nervousness, for a full pump tubectomey. Following the directions on CCS this was not as daunting as I expected and it went back together remarkably well - except that the gorgeous olive brown patina has been lost from the immediate area of the tank around the tube and the small section of the tube itself that protrudes from the tank. Is there a trick for creating patina? I could polish the whole thing but I quite like the aged look on a stove of this vintage and don't want it to look new again. I hid the shiny bit in this shot but I can see the pump it poking out its shiny tongue at me every time I look at it!
I started with this.... Soaked it in a Pyrex dish of strong tea for a week And got this..... But the best result by far was to bury it in the garden whilst I went on my hols for a week, and got this..... Not suggesting you would wish to bury your stove, so maybe a few old teabags re soaked everyday and layed on the shiny area till the appropriate colour match is reached It's an option
You might try one of the commercially available chemical antiquing solutions like this one or this one. Ben
I used a special antique restorers fluid - used when fitting shiny new brass fittings to old furniture to make them a better match with existing fittings etc - called patination fluid. The longer it's left on the darker the brass gets. http://www.jpennyltd.co.uk/shopping/pgm-more_information.php?id=50 Or DIY: http://www.wikihow.com/Antique-Brass
I have used the last trick with ammonia in a bucket with a lid many times, and it works very well. I would be a bit reluctant to use it on thinner brass (like tanks) since it might fasten the process of getting stress cracks later on. But to get patina on solid pieces that aren't prone to develop stress cracks, it is the best method.
1.1.1 ammonia was recommended for fuming oak to get an antique finish. I have also used it to age a new brass letter box to match an older letter box that was too small for modern letters. If you go down this route you do not immerse or wet the brass it is supported in the fumes which gives the patina. Just monitor the amount of patina needed. It is very much a thin surface treatment. Scott
Excellent counter-thread to those we've had in the past about how to get an old stove as shiny as possible. I'm all for time travel as a fictional theme but to 'restore' a stove with a decent patina to look as it did when new doesn't appeal. John
There is another way of looking at this. The repair is now just part of its history, just like any scrape, ding, or burn mark is accepted as part of the unknown "story past". This time you do know it, let it grow old gracefully along with any repairs necessary along the way. They will oxidize and discolour soon enough anyway. Geoff
Thanks everyone! You make a good point @Geoff Chirnside - making it look old is no better than making it look new! Here's the offending bit...perhaps I can clean off a little more of the solder and just accept it...
As suggested just leave it, the shiney bit will go soon enough. It is amazing how quickly this will happin. Just don't put anything oiley on it as it will slow down the process. Cheers Rob
I thank you funfun, I am still with you, in original post above. Given similar scenario, I like idea of blending-in one small spot if/when the entirety of the stove is in good-to-excellent condition showing it's age with the same unblemished "gorgeous olive brown patina". I have just a few candidates for this method. I'll refer to this post in future for that reason, thx again for posting it and thx to all for the tips on the ways to do it. My stove preferences / wish list items have changed ALOT, trending older. Now, i still look at condition but also knowing some of a stove's history is important, for me. Result is I more often buy stoves with scratches, dings, maybe a field-repair as testament to their history. These examples are not a perfect fit for blending the patina, it is a case-by-case incl thoughts on preservation vs restoration of function vs restoration to like new. thx omc
I am one of those that would avoid any ammonia on brass of any kind and in any way. Wiser people than I have advised me such, and I do not wish to find out the hard way. Ken in NC
Me neither. I would never use the ammonia trick for a tank or similar item that has been rolled, pressed or 'processed' in a way that makes it prone to develop stress cracks later, so it's hardly useable for the OP's question. But as I said above, it's not any problems with this method for more solid brass. It's probably the best method to get a fairly natural patina look quickly, but it should be used with caution and a lot of bits of brain.
I spend at least one hour from acid bath to the buffing wheel. That's 1 hour I could be spending doing better things or doing nothing at all.
I'm in the "the repair is part of its history; let nature take its course" camp, but there's always this: ....Arch
