Brass torch cleanup or no?

[skipskip]

I have come by some brass gas soldering  torches.

they are the usual dark, crummy ,dirty looking things.

My OCD wants to polish them up nice and shiny, but my collector sense says not to .

are the labels paper or decals, or painted,  or??

what to do?

Skip

[scottg]

Magnet first
 Most of these are just brass plate. You can't really polish unless polished steel is what you want and even then, the last traces of brass will be awful to get off ...  trust me.

 That said, its not as easy to polish these torches all the way out as you might think.
   Again, trust me

I have a polished 1/2 size I did.  Its got a really cute wooden handle and a complete complex burner for its small size.
  No way in the world I would do a plain one.
       yours Scott

[Branson]

But if you really want to polish them, I'd try with Dura-Glit.  It's not abrasive, and gets the job done usually.  I learned about it from a friend in the Marine Corps, who used it to keep his brass polished.  Comes in a can -- chemical polish impregnated cotton wadding.

[Papaw]

Like Never Dull?

[scottg]

Like Never Dull?

Yeah exactly.
Magic cloth is another brand as well.
  You will be at it in 2020 if you try that though. These cleaners are for already stripped brass that is not that bad, merely tarnished.
 They coated torches in lacquer and you have to get that off first. And its not easy.
 
 Flitz is the same stuff with 800 grit silicone carbide in it. Its faster than any of the chemical only products.   
 But none of them is fast enough on old torches.

 About 1000 rpm, med sewed cotton buffing wheel that is 10" or bigger, and med al/ox bar polish.... is what I use.
  Like I said before, not even this is fast and easy, but its really your only shot with hometools.
     yours Scott

[Batz]

I have come by some brass gas soldering  torches.

they are the usual dark, crummy ,dirty looking things.

My OCD wants to polish them up nice and shiny, but my collector sense says not to .

are the labels paper or decals, or painted,  or??

what to do?

Skip

We are talking blow torches here? If so the decals are old slip off water transfers.
To polish or not to polish? Most blow torch collectors strip and polish up their torches, somehow I don't like this as I pick up one of my torches and it has dents, paint, repairs etc. I like to hold it and think of the person who at one stage was using this tool, somehow a pretty polished torch does not have to same appeal to me.

Batz

[skipskip]

 Most blow torch collectors strip and polish up their torches, somehow I don't like this as I pick up one of my torches and it has dents, paint, repairs etc. I like to hold it and think of the person who at one stage was using this tool, somehow a pretty polished torch does not have to same appeal to me.

Batz

This is the answer I was hoping for, I only clean wrenches enough to see who made them, so shiny brass blow torches  are creepy to me.

I'll use warm water and a bit of suds to see the makers and leave it at that.

Thanks

Skip

[Batz]

We think the same way then Skip.
Now lets see some pictures of those torches, I sure I can help you out with the makers and other information.

Batz

[rusty]

>About 1000 rpm, med sewed cotton buffing wheel...

And one of these:

[geneg]

I agree with both of the above.  Clean the carbon & junk off, old toothbrush job.  Whatever you do, keep away from any labels.  Also as a precaution, remove the fill plug or the pump and dispose of the old gasoline, kerosene, or alcohol before taking them into the house.  In the Summer, what has worked well for me is to open them up & put them out in the sun for a day or two to evaporate the residual fumes.

[geneg]

Rusty slipped in a reply while I was typing.  His machine makes the torches look like the ones at the antique mall, not that anything's wrong with that.  I just know that once you start polishing brass, the project never ends.  Even lacquers & clear coats have limited lifespans, good old tarnish lasts forever.  Some people call it patina.

[skipskip]

Lots of good answers here, thanks




JAN 021 by skipskip, on Flickr


Here are some more  pics of the torches:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skipskip/sets/72157632493620406/

[Aunt Phil]

Soak it in Murphy's Oil soap, scrub with a soft brush and if you need it cleaner toothpaste on a rag.  It's a gas torch, not the crown jewels.

Don't soak it too long either, those slip decals will slip off.

[Batz]

The one you have posted there is an Otto Bernz Co. torch, it should have a number stamped on the priming pump knob, perhaps a zero
?  The other two with red handles are Clayton and Lambert and the one with the pistol grip looks like a Craftman.
 
I'm a member of the Blow Torch Collectors Association, they have a substance that they make up to clean torches, they call it miracle cleaner I think. I've have a look to see if I can find the recipe for you guys.

Batz

[skipskip]

Otto Bernz  later to sell the "Bernzomatic" products?