Classic Rotary Phones Forum

Telephone Identification, Repair & Restoration => Telephone Restoration Projects and Techniques => Topic started by: Alex G. Bell on May 24, 2017, 11:59:27 PM

Title: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: Alex G. Bell on May 24, 2017, 11:59:27 PM
Dunno about others but I'd find it interesting to see photos from before use of Novus to see just what benefit it produced. 

Looks very good after, though perhaps there is exposed brass on the inside edges of the low number finger holes.  Hard to be sure.  The higher number holes look painted black and reflecting light but low ones seem yellow like bare brass, at least here.  All in all quite nice.
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: TelePlay on May 25, 2017, 12:26:21 AM
Quote from: Alex G. Bell on May 24, 2017, 11:59:27 PM
Dunno about others but I'd find it interesting to see photos from before use of Novus to see just what benefit it produced.  .

I know what you are looking for and while some if the images posted here are Bakelite and not plastic, you might find these member restorations interesting, if you haven't already seen them.

     http://s1000.photobucket.com/user/CRPF/slideshow/Notable%20Refurbs?sort=4

EDIT: Had forgotten I am migrating images away from Photobucket after the Picasa disaster so here is a link to the notable refurbs on the forum with the restoring member identified: 

     http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=17486.0



It's somewhat difficult to get a macro image of a plastic surface after final sanding and then one after using Novus 2, just that one step. There are so many post on the forum in the Telephone Restoration Techniques (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?board=70.0) showing what you want but I can't seem to find the one image that I remember that would show you that difference.

This is one image of a handset I did that shows before several applications of Novus 2 and after. The plastic after shots do not have any type of polish or top glazing applied to make it look shiny.

(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=6020.0;attach=150172;image)
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: Alex G. Bell on May 25, 2017, 01:21:47 AM
Thanks.  I was mostly interested in what it will do to Bakelite since that is not a homogeneous material like soft plastic or ABS. 

I have a number of the early G1 handsets with the strain relief fork in the handle that don't look very good and have been undecided as to whether to use them up in "as-is" transactions or keep them for possible restoration attempts.  I have examples of Bakelite E, F and G handsets I can see my reflection in as I received them so I know what's possible but not what can be achieved in restoring Bakelite.
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: TelePlay on May 25, 2017, 02:17:56 AM
Quote from: Alex G. Bell on May 25, 2017, 01:21:47 AM
Thanks.  I was mostly interested in what it will do to Bakelite since that is not a homogeneous material like soft plastic or ABS. 

I have a number of the early G1 handsets with the strain relief fork in the handle that don't look very good and have been undecided as to whether to use them up in "as-is" transactions or keep them for possible restoration attempts.  I have examples of Bakelite E, F and G handsets I can see my reflection in as I received them so I know what's possible but not what can be achieved in restoring Bakelite.

Novus 2 or 3 for that matter have no real or noticeable effect on Bakelite.  It might work as a final final polish but other than that, the abrasive in Novus in not hard enough to work on dulled Bakelite.

I came up with one way (my way of many posted on the forum) for bringing out a shine in old Bakelite. You can find the whole topic here including high mag images of the Bakelite before and after polishing.

     http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=12264.0

Here is one image from that topic in if you look closely at the right image, you can see me holding my camera

(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=12264.0;attach=113180;image)

I even polished the broken Bakelite edge of a handset back to shiny

(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=12264.0;attach=150328;image)

(more images in that topic) and did a sand through test on a broken handset so show rough Bakelite can be restored to shiny.

(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=12264.0;attach=150359;image)

Since then, I discovered that not all Bakelite from different companies restores the same. I worked on a WE F1 and could not get the same high level of shine that I did on this test handset, an SC IIRC. Why, don't know other than what was mixed with the Bakelite or what it was made from differs, as we know, and that has an effect on how well it can be polished up. Nothing more discouraging than when I used my method on that F1 to find I could not restore it to the level I did in the first handset pictured in the topic

(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=12264.0;attach=104208;image)

None of the images have a wax or top coat glaze applied to make them look more shiny.

There are many other suggest ways on the forum in this board

     http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?board=21.0

and keep in mind that over 8 years, the original methods have been refined or advanced as expected as more is done with Bakelite, and plastic. Brasso and 000 steel wool on Bakelite is something that would never work on plastic but then, I press the Bakelite into my buffing wheel until it gets hot, something else that does not work with plastic, to get a shine.

Others have their ways to do this so you have plenty to read and then decide how you want to approach this type of restoration.


Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: Ed Morris on May 25, 2017, 09:37:26 AM
Here are before and after views of this phone.  I use 0000 steel wool lightly to clean crud off the Bakelite.  I find that Novus #3 doesn't have much effect on Bakelite, but Novus #2 does a good job of polishing.  I use a buffing wheel, but I don't get the Bakelite hot.  The surface has more of a satin finish as opposed to a deep gloss.  See first image below.

My restoration experience has been with vintage radios, and while I have on occasion gone for a like new cosmetic restoration (second image); most often I do a thorough cleaning, and stabilization of the finish, such as removing old cracked, faded lacquer, but not the original finish, as in the third photo.

Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: TelePlay on May 25, 2017, 09:51:54 PM
Quote from: Ed Morris on May 25, 2017, 09:37:26 AM
Here are before and after views of this phone.  I use 0000 steel wool lightly to clean crud off the Bakelite.  I find that Novus #3 doesn't have much effect on Bakelite, but Novus #2 does a good job of polishing.  I use a buffing wheel, but I don't get the Bakelite hot.  The surface has more of a satin finish as opposed to a deep gloss.  See first image below.

My restoration experience has been with vintage radios, and while I have on occasion gone for a like new cosmetic restoration (second image); most often I do a thorough cleaning, and stabilization of the finish, such as removing old cracked, faded lacquer, but not the original finish, as in the third photo.

That's interesting and I agree with you in that I've used Novus 2 on Bakelite radio cabinets with great success. If I did to a radio cabinet what I did to an F1 handset, I would have ruined the cabinet. Bakelite in sort of a generic term with many variations in the mixture before being forced into the mold. Radio cabinets are no where near as thick an a handset, even the housings are quite thick compared to the Bakelite radio housings I've worked with. Less fillers or something makes radio cabinets "softer" so Novus 2 works on them. Novus 2 on a handset after it is buffed shiny does add some additional shine with a lot of elbow work. It all comes down the grit size and time spent.

According to the msds sheets for the following 3 polishes,

Old Brasso is a mixture of chemicals (Petroleum Distillate solvent, fatty liquid Oleic Acid and Ammonium Hydroxide cleaner), Crystalline Silica (sand or glass) and Kaolin (clay). Silica is the grit that does the cutting and I can't find the grit size used. Kaolin is clay which along with the fatty acid helps make the mixture thick and slippery. Seems to be a tarnish remover and surface cleaner.

(http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=18218.0;attach=162272;image)

(  EDIT: Note, Stoddard Solvent is a mineral spirits solvent used for cleaning and flushing metal parts. It has a flash point of 105 F. It has a mild odor, it is an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent and contains less than 8% aromatic hydrocarbons. References to paint thinner, white spirits type 1, heavy naptha and other mixtures - developed in 1924 by Atlanta dry cleaner W. J. Stoddard and Lloyd E. Jackson of the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research as a less volatile petroleum-based dry cleaning solvent than the petroleum solvents then in use. Dry cleaners began using the result of their work in 1928 and it soon became the predominant dry cleaning solvent in the United States, until the late 1950s.  **  Oleic acid is a fatty acid that occurs naturally in various animal and vegetable fats and oils. It is an odorless, colourless oil, although commercial samples may be yellowish. In chemical terms, oleic acid is classified as a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. )

New Brasso is a mixture of these "hazardous or toxic" chemicals:  Ethanol, Oxalic acid, Isopropanol, Ammonium hydroxide, Limestone and Pumice. This, according to the current MSDS makes up about 50% of the mixture. The remaining 50% is not noted or stated so I assume it is water. The "old" Brasso components totaled 100% on their MSDS sheet.

Compared to the above "old" formulation, new Brasso is totally different eliminating petroleum distillates entirely and using limestone and pumice as the grit (size not stated). The new abrasive grit seems to be softer than silica so maybe that's why the new Brasso doesn't work as fast.

Novus #3 is made from water, Dipropylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether and Alumina powder (don't know the grit size). Basically a "heavy"cutting liquid.

Novus #2 is made from Odorless Mineral Spirits, Amorphous Silicas/Diatomaceous Earths Mixture, Polydimethyl Siloxane, Morpholine, Oleic Acid and a Crystalline Silicas Mixture (don't know the grit sizes for diatomaceous earths or crystalline silicas). Seems to be a light cutting and smoothing or polishing mixture.

So, Brasso would handle tarnish and have some cutting power. Novus #3 seems to be a cutting grit in water with a thick glycol ether to hold it in suspension. Novus #2 is an interesting mixture of grit and plastic solvents, both of which would polish plastic after being cut by Novus #3 or a fine grit wet sandpaper.

And then there are all of the other polishes with slightly different mixtures to get around patent rights but do the same thing.

I bought a bottle of Meguiar's Ultimate Compound (G172) at Wal-Mart (recommended by WEBellSystemChristian) and it works at times better than Novus #2 and sometimes not depending on what it is being used to polish. The msds for this particular Meguiar's product (and they have a handful of named polished each slightly different) states it is made with Non-Hazardous Ingredients (?water?) Mixture, Petroleum Distillate, Aluminum Oxide (grit size not known), Conditioners (trade secret), Glycerin and Triethanolamine (ammonia substitute). Very similar to Novus #2 in polishing action or results.

My shelf of polishes, solvents, cleaners and waxes grows faster than phones. Christian does great work and his suggestions on how to restore plastic have merit. The whole area of chemical sanding is promising and works with careful application. Chemical sanding can eliminate several steps of sanding or speed up the process when working up grades of sandpaper (chemical sanding before moving up a grit size removes the high spots from the previous grit making the next finer grit work faster). Novus #2 or Meguiar's or an any other personal favorite comes last.

From the msds sheets, it can be seen that some of the finer grit polishes also include small amounts of plastic solvents (wet sanding and then chemical sanding all in one step).

Polishes and buffing compounds are extremely complex and a lot of the data that would help figure out which to use when (grit equivalent sizes) can not be found. Knowing grit size and how the plastic solvents in the mixtures affects the plastic being worked on is proprietary so the effectiveness of any one polish can only be determined by trial and error.

In other words, I don't know which to use where without using the trial and error process.

All of the above in 10 words or less would be "So, whatever works is the right stuff to use."
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: Ed Morris on May 25, 2017, 11:13:37 PM
John, that's great information.  Regarding Brasso, some don't believe the newer eco-friendly formulation is as good as the original Brasso, although I don't know how the newer formulation differs from the original.
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: TelePlay on May 26, 2017, 02:33:47 AM
Quote from: Ed Morris on May 25, 2017, 11:13:37 PM
John, that's great information.  Regarding Brasso, some don't believe the newer eco-friendly formulation is as good as the original Brasso, although I don't know how the newer formulation differs from the original.

First, I discovered I erred in my last post. I gave the ingredients for the "old" Brasso. I've edited that reply to include a new paragraph for the "new" Brasso and to include a chart showing the ingredients of each and their percentages. Quite a difference. They totally remade Brasso changing the grit and removing all petroleum distillates.

Attached to this rely is the complete MSDS for the "old" Brasso in PDF form and an image of the product information sheet from a site which linked by product number Kerosene to the generic "petroleum distillates" in the MSDS. No wonder they told us not to smoke when using Brasso indoors to clean those brass buckles.

=====================

Yes, from my many days of polishing a brass web belt buckle every day, the old stuff in a metal can seemed stronger in both smell and action. It was stronger smelling and worked faster. Took the lacquer right off of a new buckle and then made it shine. I seem to remember it had a chunk of metal in the can to help remix the Brasso before use. So, as shown in the post above, the "old" Brasso did indeed smell "worse" but worked better than the new stuff.

Someone posted this on the ARF in 2009: "Now, the new base dries up almost immediately, leaving a haze of Brasso that is murder to buff. The only tactic I've been able to come up with to cope with the problem is to squirt some lighter fluid onto the haze, thus replacing the evaporated ammonia with something that will remain wet long enough to polish the way I used to."

I would agree. The old stuff stayed liquid on the buckle, turning black, until it was wiped off wet and then polished clean off with a clean cloth to inspect the work. It did not dry out on the metal while working with it. So, dumping some distillate such as mineral spirits or kerosene or a kerosene lamp substitute into the new stuff might help? Don't know. If I were to try that, I might add a fine grit silica (silicon dioxide - Mohs hardness of 100) which is harder than Limestone (calcium carbonate - Mohs hardness of 9). Diamond is 1600 on the Mohs hardness scale (image attached)

Once again, the best product to get the job done is the product that works best for the user. And now we know what they did to Brasso.
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: HarrySmith on May 26, 2017, 09:02:45 PM
Quote from: TelePlay on May 26, 2017, 02:33:47 AM

Once again, the best product to get the job done is the product that works best for the user. And now we know what they did to Brasso.


Now we need to know why??
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: TelePlay on May 27, 2017, 12:29:27 AM
Quote from: HarrySmith on May 26, 2017, 09:02:45 PM
Now we need to know why??

You asked so here it is, in 10,000 words or more:

"Brasso has been in use for almost 100 years, and originated in Britain in 1921 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brasso#History). In 1920 Reckitt & Sons' senior traveller, W.H. Slack, visited the company's Australian branch, where he discovered such a product in use. Samples from Australian and US producers were then analysed by Reckitt's chemists, and by 1920 liquid polish under the trademark "Brasso" was being sold, initially to railways, hospitals, hotels, and large shops.[1]

The polish grew in popularity in Britain, eventually replacing the previous paste-style polishes. It has undergone very few changes in either composition or package design over the past century. Cans are often collected as a typical example of classic British advertising design.

In the U.S., the current Brasso product is not the same as the legacy product. The manufacturer, Reckitt Benckiser, has not produced the impregnated wadding version of the product for many years. The formula changed in 2008 to comply with U.S. volatile organic compounds law, and the metal bottle was replaced by a plastic one."


and

"VOCs (or specific subsets of the VOCs) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatile_organic_compound) are legally defined in the various laws and codes under which they are regulated. Other definitions may be found from government agencies investigating or advising about VOCs.[9] EPA regulates VOCs in the air, water, and land. The federal regulations issued under the Safe Drinking Water Act set maximum contaminant level standards for several organic compounds in public water systems.[10] EPA also publishes wastewater testing methods for chemical compounds, including a range of VOCs, pursuant to the Clean Water Act.[11]

In addition to drinking water, VOCs are regulated in pollutant discharges to surface waters (both directly and via sewage treatment plants),[12] as hazardous waste,[13] but not in non-industrial indoor air.[14] The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates VOC exposure in the workplace. Volatile organic compounds that are classified as hazardous materials are regulated by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration while being transported."


Brasso was not a point source of VOCs. It was used infrequently by homeowners, as are many other products. Manufacturers are required to monitor VOCs with cradle to grave records and to capture any give off while used. That's a big difference of tons of VOCs being used daily vs. an 8 ounce closed can containing 4 ounces of VOCs for years before being totally used up. Non-point sources are not of concern but the manufacturers were forced by bureaucrats in the EPA to comply with their demands, typically by using a unique technique of sue and settle. The consumer got caught up or was affected by the administrative bureaucracy.

Anyway, that's probably why they could move to a plastic bottle from a more expensive metal can. Since they no longer put organic solvents into their mixture, they could use plastic which quite possible would have dissolved if filled with the "old" Brasso mixture.

On the bright side, anyone who wants to mix up a batch of "old" Brasso can do so based on the formula given in the "old" Brasso MSDS documents. Only unknown is the grit size of the silica and kaolin. A griit-mesh-micron comparrison chart is attached. One can find Silicon Carbide (SiC or Carborundum) is harder than Silicon Dioxide (Mohs Hardness scale 9 vs 7) and it's a well used tumbling supply so easy to find and quite cheap compared to fine grit SiO2. Only question is what grit size was used in the "old" Brasso? That's the hardest near impossible fact to find for any polish, the grit size of the abrasive they put into the polish.

Anyone want to try to make their own, there is a listing on eBay for 9 bottles of SiC with grits from 60 to 2000 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Silicon-Carbide-Powder-Full-Set-/152536162675). One of those should work. The kit is $33 with shipping. Everyone who is heavy into chemical restoration and painting should have the rest of the ingredients in their work shop, right?

Here's another opinion:

""Brasso" has recently undergone a formula change (https://attorneysoenksenk.wordpress.com/tag/brasso/), and unfortunately the new formula no longer does the job.Brasso now only works if the brass is smudge-free to begin with. Any brass that contains smudges will not be satisfactorily cleaned and polished with this new formula.As long as the brass is only dull, and NOT smudged, the new formula will work. But most people buy brasso to remove smudges (which it did very well prior to the formula change). If brasso does not return to the old formula, or at least offer it as an alternative product – perhaps they could name it "Classic Brasso" – then I will never be buying it again or recommending it ever again (I have been recommending it since the 1970's).If it's not broken, don't fix it.

I've used Brasso for years to clean and polish brass. I just ran out of Brasso in the can and bought the new product in the plastic container. The new Brasso formula is nowhere near as good as the old Brasso. The creamy new white stuff just doesn't cut through the tough stains like the old Brasso. I won't be buying any more of the new stuff and will start looking for a replacement.

Brasso USED to be the best polish I could buy for my purposes. Discraft 175 gram Ultra Star Sport Disc Cheap . That's no longer true however. A NEW formula was introduced for Brasso within the last few years and the new stuff (packaged in plastic bottles) is nowhere close in performance to the old formula. Almost impossible now to find left-over stock of this polish in the metal cans....and sadly, the new formula is a waste of money.

Brasso, 8 OZ Metal Polish, For Use On Brass, Chrome, Copper, Stainless Steel & Pewter."Brasso" has recently undergone a formula change, and unfortunately the new formula no longer does the job.Brasso now only works if the brass is smudge-free to begin with. My Americas Walk In Tubs The Wheelchair Accessible Tub Anti Slip Floor 30″ W x 52″ L x 40″ H Lifeti . Less Expensive Dark Myth: Part 2 [VHS] . Any brass that contains smudges will not be satisfactorily cleaned and polished with this new formula.As long as the brass is only dull, and NOT smudged, the new formula will work. But most people buy brasso to remove smudges (which it did very well prior to the formula change). If brasso does not return to the old formula, or at least offer it as an alternative product – perhaps they could name it "Classic Brasso" – then I will never be buying it again or recommending it ever again (I have been recommending it since the 1970's).If it's not broken, don't fix it.

I've used Brasso for years to clean and polish brass. I just ran out of Brasso in the can and bought the new product in the plastic container. The new Brasso formula is nowhere near as good as the old Brasso. The creamy new white stuff just doesn't cut through the tough stains like the old Brasso. I won't be buying any more of the new stuff and will start looking for a replacement.

Brasso USED to be the best polish I could buy for my purposes. That's no longer true however. A NEW formula was introduced for Brasso within the last few years and the new stuff (packaged in plastic bottles) is nowhere close in performance to the old formula. Almost impossible now to find left-over stock of this polish in the metal cans....and sadly, the new formula is a waste of money."
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: TelePlay on May 28, 2017, 07:39:41 PM
Having most of the chemicals I need to do this, I started with about 3/4 liquid ounce of New Brasso. Added 1 ml of mineral spirits, 1 ml of kerosene substitute (kerosene indoor lamp fuel), 1 ml of Ammonia and a spatula or two of a grinding grit I had that I used to polish windshield glass (take out scratches). Mixed it all up, put some on a piece of 0000 steel wool and found it removed the tarnish on this lantern in 15 seconds. After 15 seconds, wiped it off with a clean rag and it looks great.

Tried just the "new" Brasso only on the other side and while it did remove some of the tarnish after 30 to 45 seconds of rubbing, it was harder to wipe off (dried on in places) and it did not totally remove tarnish and grey areas on the metal. I'll play around with the components and do a better job of mixing percentages next time. Just wanted to see what the new stuff would do with some of the ingredients of the "old" Brasso.

Image is clean metal - no buffing, no polish and no top coating. Just what it looked like after wiping off the test mixture, which did not dry on the surface as I worked it. Not bad and much better than Noxon which was worse than "new" Brasso.
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: cihensley@aol.com on May 28, 2017, 08:57:33 PM
Teleplay:

I look forward to your final mixing percentages.

Chuck
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: TelePlay on June 07, 2017, 11:29:26 AM
Quote from: cihensley@aol.com on May 28, 2017, 08:57:33 PM
I look forward to your final mixing percentages.

Got all the ingredients together a mixed up 1/4 cup (60 ml) this morning. Image below shows the mixture (numbers in red)

Seems the Kaolin (clay) is the thickening ingredient. Ammonia is the tarnish remover. Silica is the grit. Oleic Acid is a vegetable oil that seems to be the lubricant and possible surface coating. Stoddard and kerosene are the carrier and cleaners.

Mixed all the liquids together, dumped in the silica which sank and then added the Kaolin. Got a watery yellow mixture. Added another 7 grams of Kaolin and it turned into a milky yellow mixture. Added another 7 grams and got a nice, yellow paste. I added 1 extra ml of Ammonia for more strength. The silica I used was quite fine but not fine enough. I'm going to mix up a new batch using diatomaceous earth and should get a better abrasive action with that.

Compared my mixture to the new Brasso on a tarnished metal and they were about the same, hard to tell a difference. Both worked quickly.
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: cihensley@aol.com on June 07, 2017, 02:10:43 PM
Thank you. Helpful.

Chuck
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: TelePlay on June 07, 2017, 08:38:13 PM
Bingo! Nailed it on my second try.


Dumped out the first batch and started over using the same quantities in red above unless noted here (final spread sheet is below)

========================

1 ) mixed the mineral spirits with the kerosene - got a clear liquid.

2 ) added the Oleic acid, mixed it and got a thin opaque white solution.

(I've changed my mind on the purpose of the fatty acid. It appears to be an emulsifier/surfactant which prepares the petroleum solvents for the water based components, the ammonia and the two powders).

3 ) Added 2 ml of ammonia (not 1,5 as stated above), mixed it and the liquid stayed a thin opaque white.

4 ) Added 6.33 grams of white diatomaceous earth cerium oxide powder, mixed it and the abrasive stayed in solution, did not settle out like silica.

5 ) Added 7.48 grams of kaolin clay powder, mixed it with a spatula and got a milk like yellow solution.

6 ) Added another 7.48 grams of kaolin, mixed it and got a thicker but still milky yellow solution.

7 ) Added another 7.48 grams of kaolin and got a yellow paste similar to that of today's Brasso.

8 ) Made a mixer wire, put it in my drill and mixed the solution well to break up the lumps. Will remix it tomorrow to get out all lumps.

9 ) Put some on a cotton cloth and applied it to a metal surface. The mixture was too dry, like tooth paste, so it needed more solvent.

10 ) Added 1 ml of mineral spirits, mixed it with the drill wire and it became about the same consistency of today's Brasso.

11 ) Put some on a cotton cloth and found that it polished tarnished brass in 10 to 15 seconds, did not dry on the metal and left a dark black stain on the white cotton indicating that it was working as desired.


If it should ever become a bit thick due to solvent evaporation and would not work well, adding more mineral spirits, a little bit at a time, could bring the mixture, the polish back to desired consistency
.
========================

First picture shows the mixing wire and the consistency of the solution on a flat spatula as it was pulled from the bottle.

Second picture shows the outside of the bottom flange of a 302 ringer mount, both are after views (forgot to take a before)

Third picture shows the flat part of the plate with half of it taped and the other half as it looked before about 10-15 seconds of rubbing (that white line pointed out by the red arrow is a 3/4" piece of white PVC pipe about 30 inched above my work bench - out of focus but reflected. The picture also shows 2 before and 1 after photos of the inside of the lower 302 ringer mount flange. You can see the black rubber grommet reflected nicely in the brass after 10-15 seconds of rubbing.

Bottom line, you can make your own original Brasso and it will work. Finding the ingredients is not that hard and I can provided sources if anyone wants to make their own. The cost of 60 ml is minimal but you do have to buy larger quantities of each ingredient. 

The last image below is the final, mixture in spread sheet form with actual amounts used to make the second batch. By adding the kaolin as the last step, it let me control the consistency, the thickness of the polish. I added a bit too much kaolin but it was easily thinned by adding a bit more mineral spirits. I could also be the 3rd addition of Kaolin would have been too thin so more of that could have been added to thicken the polish.

The flexibility is their so the numbers on the chart below are a good starting point for all ingredients until the last step, adding the kaolin. At that point, either additional mineral spirits or kaolin can be added to fine tune the polish consistency.

I did compare it to the modern Brasso and what I made works better, how about that?
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: oldguy on June 07, 2017, 10:52:14 PM
Is this the old brasso?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/302198332701
Title: Re: Novus vs Old and New Brasso products
Post by: TelePlay on June 07, 2017, 11:21:22 PM
Quote from: oldguy on June 07, 2017, 10:52:14 PM
Is this the old brasso?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/302198332701

Yes, it sure does look like it. I don't read much Spanish but from the ingredient section on the back, I see petrolium products, oleic acid, aluminum silicate and a few others I can't make out. And it comes in a metal can. What a deal and with free shipping.

Somebody found a stash in Mexico, got them over the border and is making a few bucks on them. Would cost me about $7.50 to make 200 ml less the can and shipping, just for comparison. I'm not going to sell this home brew stuff. Just trying to see if I could make it. It would have been cheaper for me to buy one of these by a long shot but what's the fun in that . . . (http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=6020.0;attach=162426)

Seriously, if I hadn't just made mine, I'd try a can of that.

=====================

EDIT:  Typed the ingredients portion from the can's back label

"Composicao: agentes de polimento, solvente de petrolio, oleina, silicato de alumino, amonia and fragrancia."

into Google Translate and got this in English

"Composition: polishing agents, petroleum solvent, olein, aluminum silicate, ammonia and fragrance."

so the ingredients are very similar in general and include the important/active components found on the old Brasso MSDS pages.