Magnets will not stick to brass so try that first.
How to lacquer plated brass door handle.
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There are many brass lacquers.
Most brass you ll find in use in your home these days is covered with a lacquer coating.
Determine if the object is brass or brass plated the way to know whether or not something is fully brass is simple.
If the brass plated item is lacquer coated you should stick to soap and water when cleaning it.
Try using a high gloss urethane or uv resistant clear lacquer to the brass object.
Place a magnet on it.
Unlike the case with copper pots where you might want to remove this lacquer coating it s best to leave it on your.
If you don t have spray equipment don t count on an aerosolized lacquer to achieve the same gloss as you would expect from a poly urethane.
Plated brass is more delicate than solid brass so before you clean or lacquer your item you need to figure out which it is.
If you see yellow underneath it s probably solid brass if not treat the object delicately as it is only brass plated.
Brass plated objects often have a thin coating of lacquer to help protect the brass.
If the magnet sticks your metal is not brass and you might have to do a bit of investigating to figure out what it is.
Unlacquered not comparable items will tarnish over time while lacquered items won t.
Solid brass is much tougher and can withstand stronger chemicals when stripping off the lacquer.
Plated brass however is easier to damage and scratch so it needs a more delicate touch.
If you want to do it yourself i would recommend a nitro cellulose based lacquer for door handles and other items that will be handled frequently.
Or you may have brass plating over a ferrous metal.
When you ve achieved a high gleam on your brass you can take the steps to apply the lacquer.
If it attracts the magnet the piece is metal with a thin brass coating.
After you polish the brass you will want to protect it by applying a protective coating to the surface.
Apply 3 or 4 coats of lacquer to the item allowing the lacquer to dry completely between coats.
If it doesn t stick it s brass.
You can use a paint on lacquer which can be applied with a paint brush but a polyurethane lacquer will last longer and can usually be found in a spray can format which is optimal for easy application.
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