Brass to the Past

Here are KAID, we do a lot of custom pieces because we like things to be PERFECT!  Oddly enough, doing custom pieces is often cheaper and quicker than purchasing from a vendor... who knew?  Anyway, in the process of creating some MAGENTA Louis XIV commode pieces, we needed to find hardware and ormolus for the piece.  Searching all over the internet, we found some great antique ormolu pieces, but finding vintage-esque handles and escutcheons was proving to be nearly impossible.  We did some research and discovered you can age brass...  Soooo, with lots of trial and error, we discovered the most efficient was is as follows:

1.  Make sure your brass pieces are REAL!

2.  Most newer brass pieces have a coating on it.  We got lucky and had the kind of coating that comes off with acetone.  If you have the stubborn coating, you're on your own!

3.  After removing the coating, rinse off the hardware with water and dry.

4.  Once dry, you'll need to submerse the pieces into Brass Darkening Solution J-3499.  Buy it HERE!

5.  It has all the directions on the back of the bottle, so just follow them from there!
6.  If you leave it in too long, all you have to do is polish it up a bit.  We always use Brasso, you can buy it at Lowe's or Home Depot in the cleaning department.

7.  Let us know how this works for you :)

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By Kim Armstrong Interior Design