When you say varnish, what exactly do you mean as I know from doing bits of woodwork that it is a broad term and there are lots of variations. New: A brand-new, unused, unopened and undamaged item in original retail packaging (where packaging .

The marks on this candlestick base are beyond normal tarnish and will not be removed by normal light polishing nor mild solvents.

If you are unable to polish/clean the copper then it is most likely that it had been coated with a lacquer or varnish and the tarnish has developed under the old coating. This would be hard to do as a DIY but I am sure that with a bit of care a good result can be obtained.

Smaller items like jewellery and fittings can be placed in a low temperature oven at 60°C – 80°C for 1 hour and will be cured when cooled. You can also use a nylon pot scrubber or a soft bristled brush to remove the lacquer from hard to crevices and stubborn spots.

Photo at right shows where the old coating has been removed with a varnish stripper to enable cleaning/polishing. Compatibility: To prevent incompatibility please remove any old coatings with Rustins Strypit Paint and Varnish Stripper.

If you go this route your local PPG jobber should be able to suppy you with all of the relevant PPG data sheets which will spell out precisely what you need to do. The use of domestic wire wool or fine abrasives will give a scratched finish that will need very heavy polishing to bring back to normal. It is an activity to be recommended when the results of a good meal might lead to an unhealthy easy-chair slump.Before polishing an item, check whether it has an old, natural patina that should not be destroyed forever. As long as the original coating is still intact, wash the surface with a mild soap and water, rinse off well and then dry thoroughly and then recoat. If I do have to clear coat Im leaning towards Rylard Brass Lacquer, it seems to be a lot more expensive than a Hycote version but the Rylard seems to be easier and faster to cure. If abrasive papers must be used, fine and very fine grades of silicon carbide paper are needed, well lubricated with ‘wet’ water (water/detergent), white spirit or paraffin (kerosene) to keep the copper dust from clogging the paper.

It can be sprayed on, or wiped on the surface with clear-coat applicators, fine paint brushes, poly-sponge brushes or a pad of lint-free white cloth. The Natural Gloss formula is usually the preferred choice for highly polished items as it allows the natural beauty of the copper glow to shine through.I've been using the method Clay outlined on a different thread (burying the copper in salt-solution-soaked sawdust -- say that three times, quickly! I bought bare copper light switches and wall sockets which needed treating as the finish changed when you touched them. If you are unable to polish the copper then it is most likely that it had been coated with a lacquer or varnish and the tarnish has developed under the old coating. It would be nice to use capilliary soldered fittings with polished pipes, but then you run the risk of white runs where the solder has wetted some of the pipe.