Do you polish your brass?

slowair · Post by **slowair** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 12:26 pm

Curious, I think I may be in the minority, but I polish my brass whistle frequently. At least once a week, usually before a session.

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 1:49 pm

You wet your sweet bras I whistle my Polish!

(cleaning agent: pure Guérande salt dissolved in cider vinegar, washed off with Marseille soap)

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 3:05 pm

I polish my brass whistles, but not at specific intervals, just when I think of it.

kevin m. · Post by **kevin m.** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 3:14 pm

I'm totally slovenly-just as long as nothing animal or vegetable is growing on the whistle that's o.k. by me- I like that patina that you get on an old favourite whistle.

deanehawkins · Post by **deanehawkins** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 6:19 pm

"almost never" is too often === remove verdigris, yes - polish, never === I like the effect of shiny wear points on a patinated surface.

TelegramSam · Post by **TelegramSam** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 7:11 pm

Never saw the point in polishing myself, just turns dark again in a day or so. As long as it's not turning green, I don't worry about it.

The Weekenders · Post by **The Weekenders** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 7:12 pm

I never have. I have three brass Burkes but don't know what to use that wouldn't stink. I don't have access to all that Frooooonchy stuff Zoob mentioned, tho I do have salt, vinegar and soap....

My alpro D really looks bad, but I don't know what to polish that with either....

Lorenzo · Post by **Lorenzo** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 12:31 am

Zubivka wrote:You wet your sweet bras I whistle my Polish!

Ewe, I'll be prayen for ye. Do you colish your popper too?

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 12:37 am

The Weekenders wrote:I don't have access to all that Frooooonchy stuff Zoob mentioned, tho I do have salt, vinegar and soap....

Ok, I was partial:
partially French (the Marseille soap),
partially Breton (the Guérande salt).

I could have added Perrier water and have it boiled on Sauvignon vinestock fire, just for to make the recipe look even more Dee Luckz (that's how you pronounce it, right?).

Now, nuke-boiled tap water + table salt + pickling vinegar (not malt, too soft) will do. Yeah--and the plainest possible soap to wash off these ions (and last trace of smell, too).
Advantage? brass/copper cleaning products from a store are those which will smear black traces on your hands and inside the etchings, plusstink of petrol.

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 6:31 am

Isn't that a bit personal?

I am the master of my domain!!!!

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 6:50 am

I lie somewhere between regularly and almost never....I really like a polished look, but on playing my long-unpolished Copeland, I found I really like the feel of the unpolished look.

The Burke I polish about 4-6 times a year.

andreaz54 · Post by **andreaz54** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 7:03 am

I voted frequently but that may not be quite the truth! I polish whenever the whistle gets that yucky yellow brassy with fingerprints look. I like a nice shiny whistle!

I have been using this stuff called "Nevr Dull" that my hubby got at work. I have to find out where I can get more. Can't say it doesn't smell..it does, but it is only temporary and it does such a good job and is so easy. It is like a treated sort of heavy cotton batting type of stuff so it is easy to use!

Yayy for shiny brass whistles!

janice · Post by **janice** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 7:19 am

I wash my Copeland with soap and water when I can't stand the funky smell anymore....

BTW Zoob-My hubby brought home some (official!) "Celtic Sea Salt" last year from the health food store, hand raked by little old Breton Sea Salt
farmers, etc etc. I mocked him soundly (you silly English kkknnniigghhtt) for having fallen for that old Celtic marketing ploy plus the stuff was 15.00. Well! It was the best salt I've ever tasted and we've not been able to go back to plain table salt again. But I wouldn't wash my whistle with it (too pricey!)

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 7:25 am

Only brass whistles I've polished are the one's I've sold (and not all of them). I use extra fine steel wool (0000) and a bit of soap/dishwashing liquid.

I don't think whistles that are frequently cleaned play as well.

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 6:59 pm

janice wrote:BTW Zoob-My hubby brought home some (official!) "Celtic Sea Salt" last year from the health food store, hand raked by little old Breton Sea Salt
farmers, etc etc. I mocked him soundly (you silly English kkknnniigghhtt) for having fallen for that old Celtic marketing ploy plus the stuff was 15.00. Well! It was the best salt I've ever tasted and we've not been able to go back to plain table salt again. But I wouldn't wash my whistle with it (too pricey!)

I can see it done from my garden (the house stands next to a salt marsh).
Here it's not pretending to be "Celtic", not even Breton: just "sel de Guérande".
Beside, it is commonly admitted that the Romans taught the local Celts (the Venetians) how to produce salt. I tend to have a doubt on this claim... ma, si non e vero, ben trovato!
Now, what's true is that it is hand-raked, but not by old Bretons. You better be young and fit for this profitable, but labour-intensive activity. Just imagine manipulating salt all day under the sun (no sun, no salt...) in summer when all the others are at the beach, then maintaining all these little dams built of--well--sludge, when everyone else is safe from our winter gales at home.
Here's an image

taken from this pretty good personal page of one of our citizens :
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/meslin/mesquer/ ... aphie.html

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