Brasso, and how not to use it.

[excoriator]

I picked up a small tin of 'Brasso' in the supermarket, but quickly put it back again when I spotted the price. £6! For 175 mls of the stuff. Outrageous!

"Internet" I thought, but indeed that seems to be the price of it. However, I looked into what it is, and basically it's a fine abrasive mixed with household ammonia and a dash of alcohol. There are a few other components described as 'fatty acids' which I assume were there to help stabilise it but didn't seem very important. So I found half a bottle of ancient ammonia under the sink, and made a few mls of a mixture of 'CIF' the bathroom cleaner, itself a fine abrasive, and ammonia. The result looked and smelled much like Brasso. Cif too contains the mysterious 'fatty acids' and good luck to them.

I wasn't expecting much, but to my delight it seemed to work fine. The job was a small one and I didn't need to make any more.

(Money saving tip number 237.)

[aubrey]

I can't think of an answer to this.

[excoriator]

I suppose it's only of interest to obsessive brass polishers. This is rare, but a perfectly valid hobby, and significantly more interesting than golf.