The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I have to clean and fix a crane but I don't know "how" to clean it. I want to retain the patina but also brighten it up and remove some of the "brown".
what are the preferred ways to clean nickel plated parts?
0000 steel wool does wonders on chrome but I won't try it on nickel as it is soft and so it will be scratched.
a brass brush perhaps?

thank you very much.

Never, never, never, never, never clean nickel plated brass or steel with steel wool of any gauge! It leaves horrible scratches in the plating which are impossible to remove. I get quite annoyed when I see machines that people have wrecked by doing this.

Any metal cleaner like Brasso will remove the tarnish. But only use it carefully on a soft cloth. These items are not 500 year old antiques or hand-made pieces of furniture where patination is highly prized - this idea is quite nonsensical. The closest thing allied to a phonograph might be a vintage car. Usually old cars are polished up with bright paintwork and chrome work. These items are mass produced instruments from the 20th Century. In my opinion all phonographs should be treated the same as cars. Patination = dirt + corrosion. Neither are particularly helpful or wanted for the long-term survival of these machines. Don't be timid, get the metal polish out and clean it enough to get the sparkle back. Alternatively use a car-paint reviver like 'T-Cut', this also works.

Funny Steve should mention the similarities between Phonographs and cars, I find a lot of car care products work equally well
on these old machines. I use a chrome polish on my nickel parts, it cleans the layers of dust and dirt and also reduces any unsightly
pitting and corrosion. I don't try to achieve a glorious shine with it, but it does clean things up quite nicely.
It's usually cheaper than silver polish as well.

Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish.

Available at an auto parts store near you.

Thank me later.

I'll thank you now.
Thank you!

Steve wrote:Never, never, never, never, never clean nickel plated brass or steel with steel wool of any gauge! It leaves horrible scratches in the plating which are impossible to remove. I get quite annoyed when I see machines that people have wrecked by doing this.

Any metal cleaner like Brasso will remove the tarnish. But only use it carefully on a soft cloth. These items are not 500 year old antiques or hand-made pieces of furniture where patination is highly prized - this idea is quite nonsensical. The closest thing allied to a phonograph might be a vintage car. Usually old cars are polished up with bright paintwork and chrome work. These items are mass produced instruments from the 20th Century. In my opinion all phonographs should be treated the same as cars. Patination = dirt + corrosion. Neither are particularly helpful or wanted for the long-term survival of these machines. Don't be timid, get the metal polish out and clean it enough to get the sparkle back. Alternatively use a car-paint reviver like 'T-Cut', this also works.

well, here's what I have to polish
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-sUDq ... G_1610.jpg

I use a product called "Flitz". I goot it at an auto parts store.
Does nice work on the nickel of old telephones too.