tarnishing brass

[Craig Hogarth]

I read a while back on here that when you laser brass, it won't tarnish anymore. Does anyone have any idea why and is there an online resource to back that up?

[Mike Null]

Craig

I question the accuracy of the statement.

It is next to impossible to remove the lacquer coating on laserable brass. Those who have tried to oxidize it can vouch for that. But there is nothing I have read to suggest that lasering affects the surface one way or another.

[Craig Hogarth]

Thanks Mike, that may be what I read before and is actually what I was looking for. So painted brass won't tarnish due to the varnish.

I do have a question on that though. A while back, I did 20 plaques. After each engraving, I put the blue mask that came on the plate back on and the next day when I pulled it off, it stained the brass. I tried DNA, goo gone, orange cleanser, 409, pretty much everything that I had available. The only thing that took it off was brasso. Any ideas what the stain was? I was assuming that it was tarnished.

[Mike Null]

Craig

I'm not sure where you're headed with "painted brass" but what I buy from JDS and others has not tarnished.