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Unlacquered brass patina



 
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kramergfy
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PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2022 11:13 pm    Post subject: Unlacquered brass patina Reply with quote

I've always been curious how some unlacquered horns end up looking like this one here.
https://veryrarebrass.com/very-rare-bach-mount-vernon-model-72-rawbrass-3/

It appears to be a very even fading of any shine, without any other discoloration.

Is this a technique? It seems like many Monette instruments have the same look:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175271943999?hash=item28cf059f3f:g:phUAAOSwD1pgrX3z

The instruments I own that are raw brass don't look like these; they all seem to darken, with blotchy colors, reds, warmer tones and even cooler ones.
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OldSchoolEuph
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PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2022 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Both of those examples are not what I would call without any blotchy discoloration, its just relatively light - and I think both have been cleaned, not just fully polished.

The amount of stronger discoloration that forms on raw brass depends on the surface contamination it is left with (no one puts the horn away for years immediately after polishing it to a perfect shine and wearing gloves).

In addition, there can be contaminants in the case that it comes in contact with. Then there is the air. The acidity of the air it is exposed to over time, or briefly leaking in only at a couple points in the case, the salinity of the air (again mild long term exposure or brief localized higher concentrations, and bleach fumes. All of these will cause different discolorations in the brass, and are all but unavoidable in a typical home.
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shofarguy
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PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2022 9:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think OldSchool has it right. In the same vein, when I lived in an apartment in Mesa, nothing seemed to tarnish my mouthpieces. They just stayed bright silver. Now that I'm 18 miles east and in a new house, they turn blue-black in a few months, if left alone in the ambient air. Weird.
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OldSchoolEuph
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PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2022 9:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

shofarguy wrote:
I think OldSchool has it right. In the same vein, when I lived in an apartment in Mesa, nothing seemed to tarnish my mouthpieces. They just stayed bright silver. Now that I'm 18 miles east and in a new house, they turn blue-black in a few months, if left alone in the ambient air. Weird.


Blue? Sulfur compounds in the air. Check for degrading plastics like foam cushions or carpet/padding, petroleum products, wine vapors or clay soils nearby. (salt vapor will do it too, but in Mesa that doesn't seem likely)

Oh, and if by "new house" you mean built in the last few years, outgassing from all of the OSB and engineered lumber will do it too.
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Ron Berndt
www.trumpet-history.com

2017 Austin Winds Stage 466
1962 Mt. Vernon Bach 43
1954 Holton 49 Stratodyne
1927 Conn 22B
1957 Holton 27 cornet
1985 Yamaha YEP-621
1975 Yamaha YEP-321 Custom
1965 Besson Baritone
1975 Olds Recording R-20
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