If
you use antique hardware, you may want to alter the finish of the
piece. At the very least, you'll probably want to clean it slightly,
which you can do quite easily with the finest grade steel wool and a
soft cloth. If the piece is really dirty, you can use metal cleaner,
the finest grade steel wool, and a soft cloth. Unlike fine antique
furniture, antique hardware will not diminish in value if you clean
it--that is, as long as you're just lightly cleaning it, not destroying
the original finish!If a piece is painted and you want to strip the
paint, use a nontoxic stripper, rinse the hardware in water, dry it,
then buff it with very fine steel wool. If the piece is painted and you
want to keep the painted finish and just clean it up a bit, use very
fine steel wool to smooth the flaking, rough surfaces, then clean the
piece with metal cleaner and a soft cloth. If you're using painted
hardware, please be aware that most older paint contains lead, which is
a safety and environmental concern, particularly if you have young
children who might be tempted to put a piece of hardware in their
mouths.
One of the great charms of antique hardware is
the variation in patina. If you're using antique hardware throughout
your home, consider using the same pattern in different finishes. If,
however, you're working with a lot of antique hardware and want all the
pieces to have the same finish, take them to a professional plating
company. You'll have an assortment of finishes to choose from, and
you'll be certain that all the pieces will match once the process is
complete. Be sure to take all the pieces you need plated at the same
time; like fabric dye lots, plating results will vary.
Reproduction and contemporary
hardware is usually shiny, because a lacquer is used to protect the
finish. If you'd like the piece to age naturally, you can either remove
the lacquer yourself with a lacquer remover or take the piece to a
professional plater to have the lacquer removed.
If you'd like to darken a piece of really shiny brass, remove the
lacquer, use a professional darkening solution on the piece, then
either reapply protective lacquer or let the piece age naturally.
If you're purchasing reproduction or
contemporary hardware, it's not a bad idea to purchase a few more
pieces than you actually need. This way you'll have some spares on hand
in case anything happens, and you won't run the risk of receiving a
slightly different finish when you try to purchase an identical piece
in the future.
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