Brass Polishing

[breckrider]

I found two antique lamps in a yard sale and snapped both up for a buck a piece. One base was brass that had been painted and the other looks to be and feels heavy enough to be iron with some weird finish on it. Probably painted as well. I started on the brass and did a fairly good job using my dremel with the blue and white compound but what's happening now is a black coating that I can't seem to get off. I put a spiral sewn wheel on my bench grinder and used the blue and white compound but still no luck getting this black off the brass. I'm afraid to try anything else more aggressive because I don't want to take the plating off. Any suggestions?

[mcaswell]

If you're trying to remove the painted surface from the brass, why not use paint stripper.

Are you sure the lamp is just brass plated, or is it solid brass?

[breckrider]

I'm not sure it's just plated. Could be solid and once I noticed it was painted I did use a stripper. I'm still having trouble getting all the black marks off of it. Seems to collect in the creases of the base.

[mcaswell]

Try a loose wheel and some tripoli (brown) compound. Brass is a soft metal, so take advantage of this and use a more aggressive compound.

The loose cotton wheel will get in the cracks and crevices.

[breckrider]

Will do. I'll let you know how it goes.