How to Change Bright Brass to Oil Rubbed Bronze

How to convert bright brass door hardware to an authentic (not painted) oil rubbed bronze finish

[@markcampbell4352]

I followed your instructions including the wax and I got amazing results. I couldn't be more pleased! My old beat up, shiny solid brass hardware is now beautiful, even oiled bronze! Saved over a thousand dollars in not having to replace great old hardware!

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

That’s great to hear, Mark! I really appreciate your taking the time to share your experience.

[@lisajaneZ]

That is amazing! Thanks for an easy to follow step by step process. Can't wait to try this out!

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

Thanks for commenting, and best of luck with your project - let us how it turns out!

[@jenniferlynn3537]

This is just so tremendously helpful - and encouraging! Every question and concern I had has been addressed in your answers to the comments - you guys are the best! Many months ago I came across a photo containing a Japanese bronze vase that I fell in love with, but couldn’t find anything resembling it. Moreover, the prices for solid bronze vessels are daunting. I did note that the antique/vintage market is flooded with old brass items which can be acquired for a song - and now I see with a bit of effort, they can be transformed into modern looking, high-end treasures. My brass vase is on its way as we speak. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! 😊

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

Glad you found it helpful! Good luck with your project- and let us know how it goes! :)

[@debsandz]

Thanks so much for posting this! This is so helpful. I have a question though, what type of lacquer you would use to protect ?Spray or brush on? Thanks

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

Glad you found the video helpful! If you choose to use lacquer instead of wax, I’d recommend using spray-on in a matte or flat finish. These sheens are less common than gloss or satin so your local paint store is less likely to have them in stock, but you can find them online. Good luck with your project!

[@debsandz]

Thanks, I appreciate your help!

[@rzalez2]

Nice video. You good

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

:)

[@stepandrailco]

Great video, used the same Jax products and dipped the part, which gave it an even color however your parts are a couple shades darker. Any advice on getting a darker finish?

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

There are a few reasons I can think of that might cause this to happen… 1. The most common is that the darkening agent has gotten diluted or was weakened by use (it loses its effectiveness with exposure to brass) 2. The surface was contaminated somehow. In the past I did this same ORB treatment on a pair of outdoor brass handrails. One came out out a little lighter (and slightly more blue) than the other. I don’t know what happened, but I buffed it down to raw brass and treated it again with a fresh batch of darkening agent. The second time came out much better. 3. Brass is made by combining copper and zinc, and it’s possible that yours has slightly different proportions of those metals. If this is the case, there might not be much you can do… however, if you haven’t waxed the parts, you can deepen the color by using a dark-tinted Briwax like the one I used in the video

[@stepandrailco]

@@northriverbuildersinc908 Thank you! I also ordered the Sur Fin product you recommended to see if their product will give a darker shade. If we use wax, will the finish still come off eventually? My client wants it to remove over time from use.

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

@@stepandrailco yes, if you use wax the finish will still wear off over time, naturally revealing the brass at the wear points

[@stepandrailco]

@@northriverbuildersinc908 Appreciate the replies

[@darkmauveshore]

Would you say it looks more black or more bronze? Kind of hard to tell but looks great.

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

Good question… but not easy to answer. The color depth and tone you’ll end up with is determined by the type of brass as well as the length of time it’s been exposed to the solution. Some types of brass will end up lighter and others darker, and also either warmer or cooler in tone, but despite those variations, I guess I’d never really describe the final color as black. By the way, the reason we finished the hardware in the video with a brown-tinted wax is because when it came out of the solution, the color was a bit cooler than we expected. The brown wax gave us the color correction we wanted. We’ve done different hardware with the exact same process and it’s come out with a warmer, more bronzy hue. When that happens, we use clear wax for the final step

[@moonflowervibe]

What kind of sanding pad did you use? Do you not "scratch" it too much? Thanks

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

We used 3M synthetic hand sanding pads, “very fine” grade. We’ve also used medium grade with success. The synthetic pads are quite forgiving and can be controlled by applying more or less pressure.

[@zacharycarter9341]

I'm considering doing this to my Henry 45-70 Reciever.... any reason I shouldn't? Or is it g2g?

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

If it’s solid brass it should work. I think it would look cool, but one reason not to do it would be that future scratches from use would be a lot more visible. If that would bother you, I’d suggest leaving it as-is

[@Rockpire]

Can I do this on my zippo lighter?

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

If it’s solid brass, have at it :)

[@-o-The-Duke-o-]

I missed the oil rubbing part.

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

You’re right… and no bronze either! I’m not sure how the door hardware industry came up with that name, but who am I to judge? ;) Anyway, it should give you some comfort to know that waxes and oils are closely related (they are both lipids, but in solid and liquid forms, respectively), so I suppose the wax-rubbing step could qualify!

[@rzalez2]

Nice video. You good

[@northriverbuildersinc908]

Thanks Roberto!