I recently purchased a pre-loved BBW MAB, which I think is from around 2007. While the leather is in great condition, I love shiny things, and the hardware was just not up to my shiny-ness standards. I searched a little around the forum and saw Brasso mentioned, so I decided to give it a try! It worked out pretty well, although I actually have two different methods I used!
I know that brass hardware isn't really used on RM's bags anymore, but hopefully this might help anyone that has an older bag that they want to put some new life into! It really made such a difference to me
Here's a before and after!
(It really does look like almost a different color IRL)
Method 1: The easier way!
First, get yourself a can of this stuff! Nevr-Dull
My dad had an old can lying around that I used, but you should be able to find it at hardware or automotive stores. Because this stuff is dry, I found it a lot easier to work with because I wasn't worried about anything dripping or spilling on the leather parts of the bag. All you have to do is take a tiny piece (a little goes a long way) and rub the hardware until you see the color start to change or you notice the wadding turning black. (I FLIPPED out when I first did this, as the color change was so dramatic that I thought I was originally stripping off the color and leaving only metal underneath). When you're done, make sure you have a clean soft cloth handy to go over the piece again and wipe off any excess polish or black residue. Just be careful not to touch the rest of your bag once the polish gets on your hands!
Method 2: Brasso
This method is a little more involved, but it was what I did half of the hardware on my bag with before I found the can of Nevr Dull. (The above before & after is using the Brasso method!)
Here's what you'll need:
Take the can of Brasso and shake it up reallllllllly well. Then, pour a little onto one of the cloths. This will be your "dirty" cloth. (It helps to drag the cloth on the side of the can to get any excess polish off, since the hardware is so small you really only need a tiny bit.) Carefully rub the hardware with the polish and then rub it again with the dry/clean cloth. It helps to do this all over newspaper since it can get a little messy. I found having baby wipes handy was useful because I noticed when I was finished that there were a few tiny spots where polish must have touched the leather. I wiped with a baby wipe, let it dry, and it was fine.
As long as you have a little bit of patience, you should easily be able to make your hardware look brand new! I hope this was helpful to anyone looking to do the same thing!
I know that brass hardware isn't really used on RM's bags anymore, but hopefully this might help anyone that has an older bag that they want to put some new life into! It really made such a difference to me
Here's a before and after!
(It really does look like almost a different color IRL)
Method 1: The easier way!
First, get yourself a can of this stuff! Nevr-Dull
My dad had an old can lying around that I used, but you should be able to find it at hardware or automotive stores. Because this stuff is dry, I found it a lot easier to work with because I wasn't worried about anything dripping or spilling on the leather parts of the bag. All you have to do is take a tiny piece (a little goes a long way) and rub the hardware until you see the color start to change or you notice the wadding turning black. (I FLIPPED out when I first did this, as the color change was so dramatic that I thought I was originally stripping off the color and leaving only metal underneath). When you're done, make sure you have a clean soft cloth handy to go over the piece again and wipe off any excess polish or black residue. Just be careful not to touch the rest of your bag once the polish gets on your hands!
Method 2: Brasso
This method is a little more involved, but it was what I did half of the hardware on my bag with before I found the can of Nevr Dull. (The above before & after is using the Brasso method!)
Here's what you'll need:
- Brasso
- Two soft cloths (I used an old t-shirt cut in half)
- Newspaper
- Baby wipes (for emergencies)
Take the can of Brasso and shake it up reallllllllly well. Then, pour a little onto one of the cloths. This will be your "dirty" cloth. (It helps to drag the cloth on the side of the can to get any excess polish off, since the hardware is so small you really only need a tiny bit.) Carefully rub the hardware with the polish and then rub it again with the dry/clean cloth. It helps to do this all over newspaper since it can get a little messy. I found having baby wipes handy was useful because I noticed when I was finished that there were a few tiny spots where polish must have touched the leather. I wiped with a baby wipe, let it dry, and it was fine.
As long as you have a little bit of patience, you should easily be able to make your hardware look brand new! I hope this was helpful to anyone looking to do the same thing!
