Darkening Solution

If you own restoration hardware you should have a bottle of Darkening Solution. This solution instantly antiquates or darkens brass, copper or bronze.

It changes color gradually so you can control the darkness of your hardware. Easy to apply. For Solid Brass only. Not for use on lacquered brass or brass plated surfaces. Two ounce bottle.

MSDS: Darkening Solution

Customer Reviews and Photos for: Darkening Solution Average Rating: (3.8) (15 customer reviews) Add your review...

1) Submitted by Dan Griffin, from Memphis, TN on 9/8/2009 Customer Rating: I have used this for years and it works wonderfuly. I do have a hint. The solution is reusable, granted that it does get weaker and takes longer, the more that it is used. After use, I place a small funnel in the top of the bottle, line it with a paper towel, and pour the used solution through it. If you haven't used all the solution and there is still some unused in the original bottle, you might want to pour the used into a different bottle, but be sure to label it carefully.

2) Submitted by Jen, from Stamford, CT on 5/27/2009 Customer Rating: I was anxious---but it worked perfect! I wanted to give my master bathroom a makeover on a limited budget. I have solid brass bath fixtures that were naturally aging and solid brass accessories --knobs, handles, towel bars, toilet paper holder and hooks, all very polished, and therefore, in my opinion, ugly. These are high end pieces, just not my style. I decided to strip them with laquer stripper--approximately 5 minutes of rub time with a stripping pad after soaking them in the solution for several hours. (some pieces stripped quite easily in only seconds and with minimal pad work, others took multiple soaking/rubbing sessions). Finally, I washed and dried the pieces then placed them in the bucket w/ the darkening solution which instantly began to "age" them. It was remarkable. I chose a very dark, almost black patina, which only took a few minutes, pulled them out, rinsed and polished them w/furniture wax. Turned out beautiful! My husband was amazed. The brass shower handle alone would have cost over $200 to replace, so I was quite thrilled to pay only $40 in materials, a little time and elbow grease. BTW, I also went back stripped and darkened the already aging fixtures a bit more, using the same process only brushing on materials carefully, so i would not have to remove them. The shower door hinges were the only really challenging pieces due to the many nooks and crannies making laquer removal difficult. I brushed on the darkening solution in several steps over about a 30 min period until it reached a nice, dark, aged patina, then waxed/polished to shine. It all looks beautiful. One word of caution--work in well ventilated and lit area to remove the laquer; it is difficult to see in the crevices and if it is not COMPLETELY removed you will have specs or complete crevices that are highly polished brass!

3) Submitted by Mary, from Kearney, NE on 11/22/2008 Customer Rating: The product does what it says, but we were darkening kitchen hinges to match new pulls on cupboards. Sanding was necessary of each little hinge before the solution could work, so the process was not really easy! I wish then I had thought to soak them in lacquer thinner as another review that I just read suggests. That probably would have simplified the process dramatically!!

4) Submitted by Jonathan, from Nashua, NH on 11/14/2008 Customer Rating: I recently replaced a screen door but could not find one with oil-rubbed bronze hardware in the right size. So I bought an Andersen 2000 door with solid brass hardware, softened the lacquer in lacquer thinner and then removed it with a Scotchbrite pad. After about 2 minutes of soaking in the brass darkener, I had a beautiful dark brass finish, which I then rubbed down with some mineral oil. It looks great. By the way, the door sweep was plated so I couldn't use this, so I matched the door sweep with several thin coats of Rustoleum Oil Rubbed Bronze paint. Purchased at a home center, it is a decent (90%) match to the treated hardware.

5) Submitted by Billybob Karl, from San Francisco, CA on 7/28/2008 Customer Rating: I have used this solution before but could not find it in hardware stores. I am glad I found it here. Thanks!

6) Submitted by Tim Erskine, from Vicksburg, MS on 6/10/2008 Customer Rating: Good service & good product.

7) Submitted by Dan Krautheim, from Beaufort, NC on 3/23/2008 Customer Rating: Used the solution to darken some bright brass hinges to match oil rubbed bronze handles. Product worked well and fast.

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