How to maintain a squamata with brass plates ?

[Theodosius the Great]

Avete,

I've worn a squamata which has untinned, brass plates to about three or four events now
and I'm wondering what's the best method to clean or polish them. Would using brasso
on a cloth work best ? Or maybe using some kind of rotary tool ?

The uneven surface of the overlapping plates seems to make cleaning them rather awkward,
if not difficult. I haven't tried anything yet but was wondering what others do to maintain theirs.

Thanks in advance.

~Theo

[jvrjenivs]

Brasso will leave a green residue to your plates, which I personally don't like. Also, Brasso is a very temporary cleaning agent. It does work for some time, but not for that long. You better don't use it, as it will also work on the backing of your squamata. What I do is just use very find steelwool to clean it by hand (yeah, that's a very hard and long job, but as your regularly wipe your sqaumata with a piece of steelwool it would hold it clean. Anyway, that's just what I do, other opinions are also welcome for me.

[Redguru]

As an ex-sailor, the only way to clean large quantities of brass is Nevr-Dull wadding.

[M. Demetrius]

There is a product called "Nev R Dull" which is used by many military folks to polish their brass. It's cotton fiber impregnated with some kind of chemicals, including some kind of petroleum product, and it does a pretty good job of cleaning/shining brass without leaving the green tarnish, or needing the heavy rubbing that Brasso or silver polish does. It's available online.

http://www.nevrdull.com/ All the info you need should be found here.

[PhilusEstilius]

What I have found the best thing for this kind of job is what I've used for many years now in my armour making is buffing pads, these are hard foam blocks with abrasive carborundum on them these come in all kinds of grades and if you rub two together you wind up with a very fine grade and they bring up brass very well.
Infact as Jerjen has mentioned any form of polish is a no no for after a while you finish up with awful green gunge all over for you can never get into those gaps to get rid of the stuff, any sort of polish only gives a temporary shine and after a day or two your back where you began. I would not recommend any rotory buffing as this can work out to be very dangerous if you should catch a loose scale, you should find these buffing pads at hardware stores

[Theodosius the Great]

Thanks, everyone, for your input. Yes, I'm equally concerned with the actual application of a cleaning method to the uneven surface of a scale shirt. I'd say it's the most cumbersome type of armor to clean due to the way it's constructed.

I'll try the buffing pads or steel wool first since it's the simpliest method to try out. If I could avoid using liquid that may spill onto the fabric backing I'll probably be better off. Thanks for the warning about brasso, I had no idea about it's temporary and discoloring effects ! :| wink:

Multas Gratias et Valete,

~Theo

[Peroni]

I've never cleaned mine, but it still shines when the sun hits it!

Goddards Silver cloths work well though without leaving any residue.

[P Sertorius Scaevola]

Probably to be ignored given the more sound alternatives; Brasso should be worked into the polishing cloth prior to using it on the substance to be cleaned. This way you completely avoid the dreaded greenish hue. A Wool rag works excellent by itself if the dullness isn't too severe, hence you can put your worn tunic to good use and make polishing a part of your soldier's display.

[PhilusEstilius]

I think that Adrian might well be nearer to the mark where he mentions that he has not cleaned his Squamata, infact we may have to ask the question did the Roman soldier clean this type of armour.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Probably sent it to the dry cleaners..... :| mrgreen:

[John Conyard]

Horse sweat doesn't work. Neither does horse saliva.

[M. Demetrius]

Hmm. Hey, John, how about horse urine? It's acidic and might etch the tarnish away.... :lol:

[Redguru]

Hmm. Hey, John, how about horse urine? It's acidic and might etch the tarnish away.... :lol:

He's from York, don't they drink their horse urine as beer that close to Scotland?

[M. Demetrius]

hock: