1866 Lever Action - How to restore the brass cover?

powertube · March 11, 2019, 04:09 AM

Hey Guys,

I was offered a 1866 Uberti Lever Action. Technical condition seems to be very good, but the brass cover has many scratches on it. Not really deep, something like that:

Can brass be restored like stainless steel?

**4V50 Gary** · March 12, 2019, 08:23 AM

You can make it shiny again.

I'd remove the plate and bondo it onto a piece of wood. Then with sanding blocks, use emery paper. I'd start with 180 or so and work my way down to finer paper (240, 280, 320, 400). Then hit it with brasso and a rag.

Mind you, you will be thinning the brass.

I'd rather live with the scratches and skipping the emery paper, just polish it with Brasso and a cotton rag.

Scorch · March 12, 2019, 05:25 PM

Just rock it as is, those are typical wear marks. And since brass is so soft, anything you do will be temporary anyway.

Dufus · March 12, 2019, 06:51 PM

If you had a large enough vibratory cleaner you could polish it with corn cob media.

We polished brass in that manner all the time and the parts came out with a mirror finish.

As I posted in another thread, I have an Ultra Vibe 45 and it would fit in that one.

http://www.thumlerstumbler.com/industrial.html

powertube · March 14, 2019, 06:13 AM

Hey Guys,

thanks for your help, much appreciated.
I don't own a tumbler or something like that, so I've ordered some Brasso.

I'll let you know about the result

SGW Gunsmith · April 2, 2019, 08:46 AM

If I were to work on that cover, I'd first use a much finer grade of emery paper, like #400, or #600. Then, using some Flitz polish, that cover will look like a Marine D. I.'s belt buckle!

March 11, 2019, 04:09 AM	#1
powertube Member Join Date: February 3, 2018 Location: Germany Posts: 16	1866 Lever Action - How to restore the brass cover? Hey Guys, I was offered a 1866 Uberti Lever Action. Technical condition seems to be very good, but the brass cover has many scratches on it. Not really deep, something like that: Can brass be restored like stainless steel?

March 12, 2019, 08:23 AM	#2
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,832	You can make it shiny again. I'd remove the plate and bondo it onto a piece of wood. Then with sanding blocks, use emery paper. I'd start with 180 or so and work my way down to finer paper (240, 280, 320, 400). Then hit it with brasso and a rag. Mind you, you will be thinning the brass. I'd rather live with the scratches and skipping the emery paper, just polish it with Brasso and a cotton rag. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

March 12, 2019, 05:25 PM	#3
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Just rock it as is, those are typical wear marks. And since brass is so soft, anything you do will be temporary anyway. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

March 12, 2019, 06:51 PM	#4
Dufus Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2014 Posts: 1,965	If you had a large enough vibratory cleaner you could polish it with corn cob media. We polished brass in that manner all the time and the parts came out with a mirror finish. As I posted in another thread, I have an Ultra Vibe 45 and it would fit in that one. http://www.thumlerstumbler.com/industrial.html

March 14, 2019, 06:13 AM	#5
powertube Member Join Date: February 3, 2018 Location: Germany Posts: 16	Hey Guys, thanks for your help, much appreciated. I don't own a tumbler or something like that, so I've ordered some Brasso. I'll let you know about the result

April 2, 2019, 08:46 AM	#6
SGW Gunsmith Junior member Join Date: December 31, 2014 Location: Northwest Wisconsin Posts: 285	If I were to work on that cover, I'd first use a much finer grade of emery paper, like #400, or #600. Then, using some Flitz polish, that cover will look like a Marine D. I.'s belt buckle!