If you’ve read any of our recent blogs or seen anything about us on social media, you may have already spotted the latest edition to the range of finishes for our brass instruments.
Always keen to try something new, and bring as much variety to the brass music world as possible, we’ve now introduced a brushed silver finish to a selection of our instruments.
Giving these instruments a stunning satin-like appearance, brushed silver gets its striking appearance by going through a process of careful abrasion.
Look very carefully at a brushed silver brass instrument and not only will you see this beautiful matt-effect surface, but a series of very fine lines and delicate grooves.
Although breath-taking, these lines & groves mean that brushed silver - and indeed brushed metal in general - catches dust and dirt more easily than a traditional brass or bright silver-plate finish.
However, with some care, attention, and a little regular cleaning, you can easily ensure your brushed silver brass instrument retains its beauty for years to come.
How to clean brushed silver brass instruments
Firstly, it’s worth noting that brushed silver is unlike bright silver-plate; its texture is very different and therefore brushed silver brass instruments should not be cared for in the same way as their silver-plated counterparts. Polish brushed silver too much and you’ll polish away the finish.
So, how do you clean brushed silver brass instruments?
Use a soft cloth: firstly, use a soft cloth to gently remove dust & dirt from the surface of your instrument. Carefully wipe the instrument over, making sure the cloth is both clean & dry.
Use a toothbrush: because of the texture of brushed silver, the best tool to use when cleaning your brushed silver brass instrument is a toothbrush. Yes, you read that right! A toothbrush. Gently cleaning the instrument with a soft toothbrush will maintain the matt-effect without risk of polishing it off.
Use baking soda: dip your toothbrush in a solution of water, combined with a small amount of baking soda and carefully brush the affected areas.
Or use a mild detergent: if you’re not feeling confident about using baking soda, try using a small amount of mild detergent, like dish soap, to clean your instrument.
Finally, blot dry or leave to air dry; being sure not to wipe dry as this could affect the finish.
As brushed silver finishes are relatively uncommon in brass instruments, compared to the much more widely accepted bright silver-plate or gold brass, it can be difficult to find a popular or generally accepted way of cleaning your brushed silver brass instrument.
However, with regular, careful cleaning, your brushed silver will look as stunning as the day you bought it for years to come.
To browse our range of brushed silver brass instruments, visit our online store.