Optimus No. 45

@snwcmpr

It didn't take long at all. I was reading up on cleaning brass, and they were saying an ordinary lemon works well. Didn't have a lemon, but I did have some tangerines. Took a small slice off, and started rubbing it on. Didn't take long for it to come off. There's still some thick places I still have to clean, but for the most part, all of it came off. There was some pretty heavy pitting in places. You can see on my photo, where it's red over the 5 on the 45. It came off fairly easy, but the lower part of the 5 is kinda gone.

 

I have a couple stoves where the light has to be right to see all the lettering. I've had citric acid in a bag for years and finally tried some on rust this winter, pretty happy, faster and better than my results with Evaporust.
Duane

 

Good to know. I need to order some citric acid. I did purchase a gallon of Evaporust. I have the supports, and wrench soaking in it now.

 

There are charts on the internet that tell how to mix for a certain acidity.

 

Is there a certain acidity level best for brass?

 

I use dishwasher "Lemi-shine" and add some dawn dish washing liquid in a bucket. A quick dunk for a few seconds does wonders on brass. Just brush and rinse for the majority of it.

 

Good to know Cookie, thanks for the heads up.

 

Stop before or when it starts to go pink.

Tony

 

I read about that before. I couldn't believe how fast the tangerine worked. Freaked me out, haha.

 

I only mentioned the acidity chart for the variability of the citric acid powder. A premixed liquid does not have that variability.

 

Gotcha.

 

Stove restoration. Parts 1 to 4

See if you can find the recipe for GSR.

Best Regards,
Kerophile.

 

Have that link bookmarked already, haha. Awesome information there, and thank you, appreciate it very much.

 

Is this a shelf queen?
Duane

 

Oh heck no. It'll be a user. Just like all my many knives = no safe queens.

 

I do not polish. Shelf queens or not. I love the patina. A little soap and water.

 

If it were more of an even patina, I would have left it alone. But I wanted to get all that thick crud, and pitting off of it. I'll let it patina again. Can always do a forced patina, but I'll probably let it do it's thing over time.

Pretty cruddy:

 

Again, I was not suggesting what you should do.
The only stoves I recall polishing are one I got from someone that polished the date code. I then had to polish the rest of the stove. It has a small amount of the patina back now. The other, I cannot recall. I know I used SimiChrome before I realized it had ammonia.

 

I understand. I've been looking at several of these type stoves online, and have really enjoyed the patina that some have. Some have that nice, even looking patina.

 

By the way, I've had the supports, and wrench soaking in Evaporust overnight. I see no change yet.