HELP: Polishing brass

So I was polishing what I thought was a solid (gilded) piece of brass (a candelabra that I had patinated artificially but changed my mind and want it back the way it was. There was originally gilding there but it has worn off mostly) but then suddenly this copper-coloured area shows up in the middle of the brass part.

Multiple areas have that going on... what is it and why?

It's as if it was brass-plated copper and the brass had gotten worn through..

 

UPDATE:

I scratched one of the coppery areas and underneath it seems to be brass again.. confusing.

The polishing procedure is also impossible: I've used vinegar and salt but some of the parts simply don't respond to that very much at all.. other parts do. Some of them seem to get polished but after I've rinsed the piece, the polished parts start to turn and get quite a dark patina.

HELP!!

 

Some of the pieces have now developed such a resistant patina that it doesn't come off. To make matters worse, I painted some of the candle cups with Liberon gold paint a while ago and it looks terrible. I can't get that off either.....

 

The clock reapirers brass cleaner is a mixture of strong ammonia, liquid soap and boiling water. Use this outdoors and say upwind. It will shift the paint and most tarnish.

 

Where do I get ammonia?

 

Grocery store in the cleaning aisle.

NEVER EVER mix ammonia and bleach.


Where oh where is our Brasso fiend?

 

Brass does turn a coppery color at times. It is part of the tarnish.

I've never used vinegar and salt. I've used lemon and salt with good results. Guess it would be about the same thing.

 

I don't think
Brasso will solve this issue...

 

You mean you can't buy Brasso any more???? Should I treasure what's under my sink?????

 

No. It's still around but if you've got plating over plating over the base metal Brasso can't fix that. It should take the patina off though.

 

Sounds like it is time for the spray paint can. I'd sure be there by this point. Gold colored spray paint has worked out well for us when a faux-brass finish is desired.

 

I think MPC may make the best and shiniest spray paints.
~
NEVER DULL was the other polish that wouldn't come to mind earlier.
It is what we used and re-used in the USN.

 

Plaster (powder form) seems to work quite well as a polishing tool.

It's a bit slow and painful work thanks to all the complicated and sharp ornaments but I'll get there.

 

I've always polished my brass with Brasso, sometimes with a small scrumpet of superfine steel wool, to remove any really stubborn tarnish.

Sometimes the only way to really do it properly is to get the Brasso directly on you, and rub it on with your hands. It's messy, but it's a much more thorough job.

 

Stick it in a bucket of brown sauce and leave it for a while. Works fine.

 

Nope........................not asking.......................................