rslaback
Well-known member
I just bought a new house and all the bright brass door knob hardware is oxidized and nasty looking. Rather than dropping coin on new stuff, has anyone had any success with polishing up the old stuff and clearcoating it?
Polishing Door hardware
- Thread starter rslaback
- Start date
what brand is it? Weiser ( prior to being bought by Kwikset) had a lifetime warranty on finish. I'm not sure on the Kwikset line to be honest.
My suspicion is that you will go to a lot of work to polish, it will look good for a while & then will again become tarnished fairly quickly
My suspicion is that you will go to a lot of work to polish, it will look good for a while & then will again become tarnished fairly quickly
Kevin54
MEMBER EMERITUS
A lot of the hardware is just plated and clearcoated, so if you go to buffing it, you may get down to the steel base. i would try a know or hardware that is out of the way and not noticed on a daily basis and try buffing that one first. If it works, then you can got to the others, but if it's plated, you may just want to replace a few here and there until you get them all changed.
BTW....if you do per chance have to replace them, take a look at the lever handles instead of the round knobs. Easy to work if your hands are full, plus a little more sanitary than someone grabbing a round knob with cruddy hands.
BTW....if you do per chance have to replace them, take a look at the lever handles instead of the round knobs. Easy to work if your hands are full, plus a little more sanitary than someone grabbing a round knob with cruddy hands.
steel 35
Well-known member
michaelrc51
Well-known member
Most of the stuff is junk these days.......It would only be worth it if they are Baldwin (not HD Baldwin), Omnia, Emtek, Medeco or another higher end lockset. These manufacturers use solid brass construction and not the plated garbage found on Kickset, Schlage (HD versions), Baldwin (HD versions), Arrow, and any other cheap brand.
A Kwickset lockset will run you under $20 these days, IMO just replace the lockset and wait 2 years and then you'll be in the same boat.
A Kwickset lockset will run you under $20 these days, IMO just replace the lockset and wait 2 years and then you'll be in the same boat.
InPrimer
Well-known member
door hardware is a never ending battle. the biggest culprit is the oil on you hands. My whole house has handles, not knobs, and most of them are still in good shape considering they're 8 yrs old. My garage entry has lost its top color(Black) I suspect it was powdercoated, it's a copper color underneath and in some places show wear under that. It's called planned obsolescence
spotco2
Well-known member
If it's old, real brass hardware you can polish it up. My parents house was built in the 50's and still has original or period correct hardware on the outside doors. It all has to be polished every couple of months to stay looking nice.
If it's modern residential **** (Schlage, Kwikset, Defiant, Weiser, Brinks, etc) even if you replace it, the finish will not hold up on the exterior but a year or two depending on weather and usage. Yes, they all have a 5-10-Lifetime warranty on the hardware and finish. Save you're receipt and the boxes with the model numbers because you will need it when you call the mfg to file a warranty claim when they tarnish.
Some of the nicer residential hardware (Baldwin, Emtek, etc) do offer a lifetime warranty on their plating and are very easy to deal with. Their hardware will tarnish like everyone elses, but it will take a lot longer for it to happen.
That's just part of living with bright brass finished hardware that is exposed to the elements and touched by human hands.
If it's modern residential **** (Schlage, Kwikset, Defiant, Weiser, Brinks, etc) even if you replace it, the finish will not hold up on the exterior but a year or two depending on weather and usage. Yes, they all have a 5-10-Lifetime warranty on the hardware and finish. Save you're receipt and the boxes with the model numbers because you will need it when you call the mfg to file a warranty claim when they tarnish.
Some of the nicer residential hardware (Baldwin, Emtek, etc) do offer a lifetime warranty on their plating and are very easy to deal with. Their hardware will tarnish like everyone elses, but it will take a lot longer for it to happen.
That's just part of living with bright brass finished hardware that is exposed to the elements and touched by human hands.
mybuick6
Well-known member
i use aluminum polish from meguiars to do the brass handles and knocker.