How to strip protective coating on brass?

[FoxtrotHotel]

I have some brass rings that came with my model kit, and I'm trying to use a patina solution to darken and age them. The instructions say to mix 1 tbsp with 1 cup of water, but after an hour of soaking, the brass (which I cleaned with alcohol first) was unaltered.

 

Is it possible the brass was cut from a wire that came with a clear protective coating on it? If so, what's the best way to remove this? I tried using steel wool to sand it off, but after an additional soaking, it had little effect.

[druxey]

Is the wire brass, in fact?

[TOM G]

soak brass in acetone.         i use JAX green patina........ can be found on ebay......... no mixing........ easy peasy.   

[John Allen]

I am with Druxey. Stupid is as stupid does, went to Hobby Lobby bought wire that stated it was brass on the back the fine print said brass colored. Found that out after trying to clan and blacken nothing worked. 

 

You also have to be careful ordering on line. 

[FoxtrotHotel]

The pieces came in a Corel kit, and the instructions say they're brass, but it wouldn't be the first time Corel instructions were wrong. The pieces changed color very slightly after I sanding them down, but only in tiny pin pricks, so it's possible I just didn't sand enough. I tried soaking a piece in acetone, washing it off, and then putting it in the solution, but that didn't have any effect. The patina solution (brand is "Bead Buddy") says it should work for copper, brass, silver, aluminum and bronze, but maybe it's just a bad solution?

[druxey]

I was also once caught out by 'brass' wire, like John Allen. So, beware!

[Bob Cleek]

Try liver of sulphur gel. If that doesn't do it, nothing will.

[vaddoc]

Might work: Heat with a torch to red hot, using gloves or forceps leave in pickling solution (or just warm vinegar), polish with steel wire wheel on Dremel. You should now have bright polished brass that should blacken well. 

Disclaimer: My few previous attempts at blackening brass were pretty much disastrous, admittedly years ago.

[Bob Cleek]

On ‎5‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 2:18 PM, vaddoc said:

Might work: Heat with a torch to red hot, using gloves or forceps leave in pickling solution (or just warm vinegar), polish with steel wire wheel on Dremel. You should now have bright polished brass that should blacken well. 

Disclaimer: My few previous attempts at blackening brass were pretty much disastrous, admittedly years ago.

Well, yeah, but wouldn't it just be easier to simply buy some uncoated wire and use that?  

[vaddoc]

I think so but it will still need to be annealed and cleaned of all oxides dirt and oils. For silver soldering and blackening no way round good cleaning to raw metal