How to Brass Plate with Simple Tools - Torch & Wire Brush Hack

This is just a simple way to give brass accents to steel surfaces with simple tools, similar to electroplating. This leaves a thin brass finish over the steel and I find that it’s best used for accenting small features of a steel design rather than trying to brass plate an entire object.
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[@ahill7099]

What an amazing trick. Finally i learned something useful on KZbin lol.

[@andrewclarkehomeimprovement]

1/1/21, this is the thing I learned today. Great start to the new year! Thank you

[@Chemical14]

Happy New Year! Thanks for watching!

[@auggiedomingo7888]

this answers my question exactly. thank you!

[@Heydude9569]

You are incredible and your deserves million views and million subscribers very awesome technique and tutorial

[@Chemical14]

Thank you!

[@Marcellus_GER]

Just this technique on an axe head and it worked perfectly. Now I just have to polish it. Thank you very much for your expertise.

[@maelvillez74]

Hi did the polishing remove the brass?

[@jewdd1989]

Can you do the same with a copper wheel brush on steel? Ik online it said copper dissolved steel underneath which is why it won’t stick but I’m wondering if this would work as long as you spray a clear poly or lacquer over it?

[@GRichardWrotten]

That is freeeking awesome!

[@IH1940HAY]

I have a grandfather clock pendulum the is approximately 6” in diameter and domed and pretty thin gage metal, think it is brass plated and there are several places where something has pitted the surface with a black stain around the pits. Could this method be used on the thin metal? Thanks

[@charlottedaniels5229]

You’re really cool for one. This is awesome for two!

[@duncansq47]

Would this ruin a heat treat if done on and axe head . Do you have to get it hot enough that it would ruin the temper

[@cahproductions4695]

Do you think this would work if the piece I’m trying to plate with brass is aluminum?

[@VIDEOEPPO]

why didn't I see this before.... Thanks Sir!

[@jasonthyaw]

Nice! I saw a similar process on a video from the Man at Arms Reforged series and i recall them using a torch too. How high of a heat do i need to achieve on a torch by the way? I may only have access to a small one attached to a disposable butane canister like the ones used in kitchens...thanks ahead! 😁

[@Chemical14]

It actually doesn’t require that much heat. Your butane torch will work it’ll just be a slower process and it might not be practical on a larger piece. The steel doesn’t need to be hot enough to have any glow to it (so, well below 900 degrees Fahrenheit)

[@endoffate5475]

So cool, i wonder if i could do this on guitar tuners? Id like to have brass color tuners to match my brass bridge pins.

[@EvanEdwards]

Probably not. Just buy new tuners. The worm gear and fitting is too complex to be heated like this and survive. Even if it did work, there would be slop and you'd run the risk of suddenly detuning. Changing tuners is easy and new tuners are (relative to instruments) dirt cheap.

[@user-zi4ci1zx2t]

could u use this on aluminum or tin hardware? Thinking of 1930 door knob backplates

[@scottymont4438]

Thank you for the video. Is there a way to fill in the pits? How do you create a thick, smooth brass coating?

[@Chemical14]

If you use this method or even electroplating you really need to prep the steel to be as smooth as you want the final surface to be. If you want a thick surface that you can shape you can use a brazing rod and acetylene torch and melt brass on to the surface. It takes some practice and it’s probably not feasible to do over large surfaces but for a small part it works well and you can sand and polish it after.

[@cloudysaturnn]

I’m brass plating an old doorknob in my house can i just put the doorknob in the oven at a rlly high temperature then use the brass drill thing?

[@user-jy9ld7fv5o]

Can you polish this if you wanted to?? Trying to repair some old brass furniture I have.

[@kentuckyjustice1408]

Pretty cool! 👍

[@justapatrolman4246]

Can this be done to a knife blade without getting it hot enough to ruin the heat treatment?

[@ZingTowPootWerkins]

This looks like it keeps the detail of the patina of the steel. Would i be able to get a brushed brass effect doing this on brushed steel (if the brush disk is in line/same direction as the brush grain)?

[@Chemical14]

Yes it’s a very thin layer of brass so any texture or surface details will show through it.

[@Raj-y9q]

Could you provide a tool list of tools used for 3 tools used for polishing ? Thanks

[@sweetthang7568]

Very cool!

[@katielin2379]

That's very cool.

[@tanguypineau3003]

Hi, I have 1 question after how can you protect this finishing, do you add some coat or other? Because I already tried at home, and that work well but after 2 days I see some rust on surface.

[@Chemical14]

I usually put a clear coat over it. Shellac works well but if it’s going to be outside in the weather you might need something more durable

[@clickandedit8040]

how many days will it last?

[@dragan3290]

That spear looks awesome

[@RestorationAustralia]

Very cool, I have to try this.😊😊😊

[@rochne]

Is this possible due to the higher melting temperature of iron, or would I be able to coat brass (silverish) with brass (yellowish)? Thx

[@Chemical14]

You don’t need enough heat to really melt either metal but the hardness of the iron is important. Trying to coat a softer metal may not work. Admittedly I’ve never tried it though.

[@MrBunepsong]

can i apply this to alumunium?

[@rag_man673]

Will this method work on titanium instead of steel? I can't seem to find any information on line.

[@tanner2937]

Well the reason it works on steel is bc brass has a much high melting point than steel, so I feel like if this were true with titanium then u should be fine.

[@correctpolitically4784]

Does it work with aluminum ?

[@marianopeluso]

Protects from rusting ?

[@leejrowland2051]

Love the technique!! Can we do this on copper? And can we build the thickness by brushing for longer..

[@sjoukeduinstra9071]

I think you can do this with copper too, copper melting point is only a bit higher (~100 degrees more) and it shouldn't have to be heated all the way I think just enough to release the copper and stick to the metal

[@Chemical14]

I haven’t really experimented with different metals but my experience is that you can’t really build up thickness very much with this technique.

[@SadCowDisease1]

Would this work on aluminum?

[@passaggi3991]

Thank you , it's inspiring me . but how long it will last

[@redjack2629]

Depends on how much wear it'll get. Pennies have copper coatings about 10-50 times as thick as this, but you very rarely see a penny with the coating worn through. As long as what you're coating sees less wear than a coin, it should be fine. And if it wears... Just replace the finish again...

[@WarPigstheHun]

Why you don't just wash in regular basin of vinegar and salt?

[@elteporachic1]

thank you

[@dragan3290]

I did a pair of electricians pliers unintentionally. I soaked in vinegar because of rust overnight. Then when cleaning with dremel brass brush it turned to a brass look! Any reply appreciated cheers from Australia just subbed. Nice work

[@Chemical14]

Yep, I accidentally did it once too before I figured out that it’s a technique I could use intentionally. Thanks for watching!

[@jelkehuisman]

Brass brushes are difficult to get over here without paying an unholy amount of shipping (or getting it from China, which might be worse right now). Would this process work with bronze brushes?

[@Chemical14]

I haven’t tried it but my guess is that you would be able to get some bronze to deposit on the surface of your steel although the effect might be less dramatic since bronze usually has a darker color than brass. It’s a simple process so it shouldn’t be difficult to experiment with different metals and heat sources. Good luck!

[@ERROR-wd6cv]

Helpful ngl

[@Feaharn]

Can you (mirror) polish the brass or is the layer too thin?

[@Chemical14]

It’s too thin to mirror polish but if you start with a really smooth surface the finish will be pretty shiny

[@TheLespauladdict]

Do you think this could be achieved using a heat gun rather than a torch? My heat gun reaches around 1500⁰F on its highest setting... Don't have the best environment to use a torch being that I live in an apartment complex.

[@jadaching2463]

will this rub off? and is it possible with a heat gun?

[@Chemical14]

It won’t rub off, it’s pretty durable. I don’t know if a heat gun will get it hot enough but it’s worth a try. It may just take a little longer.

[@jelljell7871]

Can you then turn it to antique bronze ?

[@Chemical14]

The brass deposited on the surface will behave just like normal brass so it will tarnish with time or you can darken it with something like liver of sulfur. It is only a very thin layer though so aggressive treatments could simply remove it or cause the steel underneath to rust through it. Its a good idea to put a clear coat or wax over it after you get the look you want to preserve it.

[@spazmaticaa7989]

I'm working on a custom made lightsaber that I think would look great with some brass coloring. I'm planning on using aluminum and was wondering if I could do this to it or is aluminum to soft at the tempatures needed for this process?

[@Chemical14]

I haven’t tried it on aluminum but the heat shouldn’t be an issue, you don’t really need to get it very hot for this technique. I wonder if aluminum might be too soft to accept the brass at any temperature though. The ideal method to get the results your trying to get would be anodizing. It’s more complicated but there’s a lot of good KZbin videos about how to do it.

[@Chemical14]

If you try it out I’d love to hear what the result is!

[@spazmaticaa7989]

@@Chemical14 I'll run a test with the extra pieces I have. I wouldn't mind anodizing but considering this is a side project and I don't have my own place to do stuff like that easily I'll just spray paint it black if it doesn't work out. I'll let you though

[@spazmaticaa7989]

@martuna still haven't gotten that far yet. Currently just trying to straighten out the side plates that go inside the hilt and work on the internal electronics

[@phantomarchitect]

@SpazmaticAA I was looking to do the exact same thing! Did you happen to try it already, and did it work?

[@arbitrarynumbers5852]

Would this work on an axe or would it remove the axes temper?

[@Chemical14]

If you’re careful you could do this to an axe without ruining its temper. Generally cutting tools have a hardness gradient with the cutting edge being the hardest and every thing else being softer/less brittle. If you watch the tempering process they often use a torch and heat the back edge of the tool and watch the surface oxidation creep toward the cutting edge. Anything heated to red hot will lose it’s hardness entirety (annealed) and where there is only a slight yellowish oxidation on the surface it will be still hard but not brittle (tempered). You can stay well below these temperatures to apply the brass so the temper should not be effected as long as you don’t get too aggressive with the torch and you will definitely be ok if you leave the actual cutting edge alone. I hope that helps and wasn’t too long winded an answer! Thanks for watching.

[@arbitrarynumbers5852]

@@Chemical14 I'll try it if I can find a proper wire wheel around. Thank you

[@christinemarkley]

Could I use a heat gun instead if a torch?

[@Chemical14]

Haven’t tried it but I bet that would work. Probably just a little slower.

[@DarknessNation]

can you do this with copper as well?

[@Chemical14]

Yes it would work with copper as well although it might be difficult to find a pure copper brush. You could probably fabricate some type of copper brush using fine wire.

[@IMxiaozuo]

Will the steel get rust after brass coated?

[@Chemical14]

It will have some protection from rusting but if left in a damp environment it will still rust eventually. I would recommend a clear coat or wax over it for additional protection

[@iljavoronin163]

Will it work with stainless steel ?

[@Chemical14]

Interesting thought, I haven’t tried that before. I bet that it would work since you’re really just embedding brass into the surface texture of the metal.

[@correctpolitically4784]

Fkn brilliant.

[@cadena06]

Can you polish the brass after? Or will you wear it off ?

[@Chemical14]

It will wear off if you use any abrasive on it, it’s a pretty thin layer. I usually just add a clear coat right after so it keeps its shine.

[@cadena06]

@@Chemical14 so polish real good before the brass if anything. I'll do it like blueing a gun then. Thanks!!!!

[@Avengence824]

How bad would this affect temper on hardened steel for armor?

[@EvanEdwards]

If you're talking SCA, it's fine. If you're talking tanks, it's fine. If you're talking thin costume armor, it may not be fine. If it is 18ga or thicker (very roughly street sign thickness), you're probably fine. If it is cuttable with tin snips rather than a nipper, you're walking into problem territory in terms of altering impact characteristics. My late wife was a chemist and fought sword and board in the SCA and always wanted to do an alloy and tempering demo for schoolkids using swords and tiny shields of different metals. Fire, swords, and sneaking in chemistry, engineering, and history knowledge: a perfect combo for a school demo. Thinking about it, her regular undergrads and even grad students would probably have enjoyed it, although the information would likely have been too simple.

[@Avengence824]

@@EvanEdwards I am a Buhurt fighter, that’s why I was asking. I assume if it’s good for SCA then it’s good for me. Thanks!

[@ericgaul3219]

Can this process be used on chrome?

[@Chemical14]

I haven’t tried it but I doubt that it would work. Chrome is usually a thin layer electroplated on to steel with a thin layer of copper in between as an intermediate. My guess is that those layers would be damaged in the process.

[@billysaunders544]

How resilient is it? Does it rub off fairly easy?

[@Chemical14]

It’s actually pretty durable, you would need an abrasive to remove it.

[@billysaunders544]

@@Chemical14 awesome thanks for the reply, the video was great, really informative. I saw that technique on another video but he didn't mention that there are brass coated steel wire wheels like you did, so I just googled brass wire wheels and went out and bought them without properly reading the description so I now have the wrong wheels and needless to say, it didn't work haha but it led me to your video which gives you more views and me more knowledge so it's all good

[@FlyfishermanMike]

@@billysaunders544 the Viking axe? Me too!

[@rayfletcher8759]

What is the intro music?

[@Chemical14]

It’s called Rolling Through Osaka. It’s just a free track I downloaded from the KZbin studio library.

[@diytodayetc9690]

wow

[@WXUZT]

A similar process is possibly used to make brass plated wire for steel belted radials. Brass is critically necessary to bond steel wire properly with the rubber. Without brass coating , proper rubber metal bond is impossible . In circa 1989, the proper adhesion of copper plating on steel was a big problem In India as they used copper plating on steel in lieu of brass because it was easier. But copper bond on steel was too bad leading to steel wire separating from rubber.The method demonstrated here in the video is the one which should have been used. An electrochemical process is available but not sure if it can be industrially used.

[@dragan3290]

My knife handle looked exactly like the rod

[@mylifeblog2010]

Can't find brass wheels anywhere

[@Chemical14]

Yeah, they can be hard to find. We got them from a tractor supply shop.

[@bbeeaauu]

How durable and rustproof is this brass coating?

[@Chemical14]

I left this piece out in the weather and it rusted significantly after a few days (this is Louisiana so it rains a lot.). It probably gives some protection but I would recommend a clear coat over it or wax finish for most things.

[@bbeeaauu]

@@Chemical14 sounds about right. What kind of coat would you recommend?

[@Chemical14]

Beau Leffertstra I like to use shellac for most indoor pieces. It basically makes a hard wax finish. You can also use beeswax thinned with turpentine for a similar result.

[@bbeeaauu]

@@Chemical14 brilliant! I've got some of that. Thanks

[@WesterlyPrune99]

How do you remove brass plate

[@JGunit]

If anyone is wondering what kind of tip that is, it's a rosebud.

[@ak47monster49]

Does this work on aluminum.. asking for reasons.. ok I’ll tell you why picture an all brass ar15 upper and lower. I would prefer a distressed look lol

[@BernardMusicPH]

Gool Idea

[@buddykane22]

"It's complicated and uses chemicals" it's really not that bad.... or complicated man...

[@lyes6033]

i think that some of us came here from man at arms

[@Chemical14]

I haven’t watched that yet. Something I should check out?

[@aleisterlavey9716]

"How to brass plate with simple tools" 😎 Cool, i wanna highlight some Details on my rifle... "Your take your blow torch and..." 😐 nope, i dont't torch my rifle. 🤣🤣😂

[@WarPigstheHun]

Would rather use chemicals lol oh wait...