Bow Rail Fixtures-Should I remove the chrome and leave it brass?

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  Bow Rail Fixtures-Should I remove the chrome and leave it brass?

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Author Topic:   Bow Rail Fixtures-Should I remove the chrome and leave it brass?

Stokes889 posted 04-12-2012 11:39 AM ET (US)
The fixtures for my bow rail and some other metal parts off my 1973 outrage are in bad shape. If I grind the tarnished green off the metal the brass look seems to be kinda nice. I was thinking it might be a good idea to leave these parts with the brass look rather than spending the money to have it all re-chromed.
Anyone have any experience with this and some tips for me?
Another option could be to give the metal some paint coverage, I'd settle with using white rustoleum if it saves me a chunk of change
contender posted 04-12-2012 04:27 PM ET (US)
No matter what you do after a while it will turn green (brass) unless you rechrome them. You can an try to take all the chrome off, sand and polish the brass and then clear coat them 3-4 times. This will keep the brass shinny for a while and give you a different look. I would rather do this then paint them white...To each his own
Stokes889 posted 04-12-2012 08:02 PM ET (US)
Thanks contender, that gives me something to think about
Binkster posted 04-13-2012 04:55 PM ET (US)
Brass and salt air don't mix. My daughter bought a brass exterior door handle set for her front door. Looked real nice. She said the guy at Home Depot told her when she bought it that most return them within a few months as the salt air dulls out the brass and makes it ugly. She never bothered to return it though, and it does look bad. I shined up the three brass norman pins on my 13 footer, when i restored it. it dulled out in a couple of weeks.
rich
Raaaaay posted 04-15-2012 10:45 PM ET (US)
I had all the railing parts rechromed, along with hinges, bow light, just about everything on my 1973 Outrage. It sure looks pretty.
My only mistake was when installing the new rub rail receiver and rub rail, I didnt cut out the backing of the receiver and my bow light didnt fit flush to the bow deck. I had to do some gringing and modification to the base of the bow light to get it to fit, it now fits flush and you cant tell that it was modified but now I need to get the base of the bow light rechromed again.
Go with rechroming.
domlynch posted 04-20-2012 08:41 PM ET (US)
I'd either just leave it, or re-chrome it.
Bullbay posted 04-22-2012 09:14 PM ET (US)
Order replacements from Specialty Marine.com

17 bodega posted 04-24-2012 12:40 AM ET (US)
I'm going to be the only one to say this but do not alter the fittings in any way. You are ruining the value of them, not to mention the mojo. The green patina is a process that happens to bronze/brass over long periods of time. Fake patinas can be detected by the trained eye.
Depending on how bad the patina is, leaving it alone will protect the metal for many years to come. My 16 footer is from 1971 and it has some wonderful original pad eyes, fittings and bronze parts with a delightful patina on them.
Parts of this quality and materials are basically unavailable unless you build them yourself... then again I see treasure where most others see nothing... or garbage.
Steve

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Author	Topic: Bow Rail Fixtures-Should I remove the chrome and leave it brass?
Stokes889	posted 04-12-2012 11:39 AM ET (US) The fixtures for my bow rail and some other metal parts off my 1973 outrage are in bad shape. If I grind the tarnished green off the metal the brass look seems to be kinda nice. I was thinking it might be a good idea to leave these parts with the brass look rather than spending the money to have it all re-chromed. Anyone have any experience with this and some tips for me? Another option could be to give the metal some paint coverage, I'd settle with using white rustoleum if it saves me a chunk of change
contender	posted 04-12-2012 04:27 PM ET (US) No matter what you do after a while it will turn green (brass) unless you rechrome them. You can an try to take all the chrome off, sand and polish the brass and then clear coat them 3-4 times. This will keep the brass shinny for a while and give you a different look. I would rather do this then paint them white...To each his own
Stokes889	posted 04-12-2012 08:02 PM ET (US) Thanks contender, that gives me something to think about
Binkster	posted 04-13-2012 04:55 PM ET (US) Brass and salt air don't mix. My daughter bought a brass exterior door handle set for her front door. Looked real nice. She said the guy at Home Depot told her when she bought it that most return them within a few months as the salt air dulls out the brass and makes it ugly. She never bothered to return it though, and it does look bad. I shined up the three brass norman pins on my 13 footer, when i restored it. it dulled out in a couple of weeks. rich
Raaaaay	posted 04-15-2012 10:45 PM ET (US) I had all the railing parts rechromed, along with hinges, bow light, just about everything on my 1973 Outrage. It sure looks pretty. My only mistake was when installing the new rub rail receiver and rub rail, I didnt cut out the backing of the receiver and my bow light didnt fit flush to the bow deck. I had to do some gringing and modification to the base of the bow light to get it to fit, it now fits flush and you cant tell that it was modified but now I need to get the base of the bow light rechromed again. Go with rechroming.
domlynch	posted 04-20-2012 08:41 PM ET (US) I'd either just leave it, or re-chrome it.
Bullbay	posted 04-22-2012 09:14 PM ET (US) Order replacements from Specialty Marine.com
17 bodega	posted 04-24-2012 12:40 AM ET (US) I'm going to be the only one to say this but do not alter the fittings in any way. You are ruining the value of them, not to mention the mojo. The green patina is a process that happens to bronze/brass over long periods of time. Fake patinas can be detected by the trained eye. Depending on how bad the patina is, leaving it alone will protect the metal for many years to come. My 16 footer is from 1971 and it has some wonderful original pad eyes, fittings and bronze parts with a delightful patina on them. Parts of this quality and materials are basically unavailable unless you build them yourself... then again I see treasure where most others see nothing... or garbage. Steve