Question about "antique" lock

[WolfSpring]

I bought an "antique" lock today, probably made in 1991 looking at the 91 stamped on it, right after Desert Storm to sell to deployed soldiers as "antique", bought it for $25 in Kuwait. It is brass from the best I can tell with a steel shackle, nicely made but not an antique by any means. I'll get pictures after work, my question is

The dark color that brass gets on it, the dirty look, I kinda like it, but if I decided to brasso this lock to bring back the original look, could I damage the lock? I need to get some pics because this is a great collector lock. Simple warded lock, I'll get pictures tonight my time and get them up here.

[MacGyver101]

Others may have different views, but if it has no antique value I don't see any issues that you could run into with something like Brasso (or a similar metal cleaner). I have a couple of locks in my collection that I've stripped and cleaned like that before.

My only caution, if you can't disassemble the lock before cleaning, would be to make sure you don't end up with any cleaning residue inside the lock. (i.e., you should probably plug the keyway and shackle holes with something and be careful around other cracks/crevices.) I suspect that, over time, Brasso would not be kind to the springs and levers if it worked its way inside.

[WolfSpring]

Like I was saying it's in two good of condition to be "antique" but it is a nice looking collector lock.

[NanoDuke]

I believe it was made to look like that. Either heat dipped or similar to get the black coating on it. Brass normally tarnishes to a blue/green colour due to the copper oxidising.

You can use some brasso on it, but it'll most likely just make the black areas more shiny.

[raimundo]

Those appear to be hand made engraving cuts on the side of the lock, I would look for a source if these are modern knockoffs, and I would not call it a modern knock off until I had a very close look at it.

there are things like 'liver of sulfur' that are used to darken metals to put an antique finish on them but there are also real antiques that may just look too good to believe, but consider that it may have been locked onto something for years and simply left there, not picking up a lot of nicks and scratches.

[WolfSpring]

Normally I'd agree with you raimundo, but these Kuwaity vendors sell a bunch of "antique" stuff like leather bound telescopes that you get and give them to the kids and they break it, and you see made in china lol. It is a well crafted "knock off" if it is, but due to the limited tarnishing on the steel shackle an no pitting whatsoever and the fact that as soon as I used the key it started getting a groove in it from turning around the lock I'm betting these were made specifically to sell to G.I.'s either way I really like it and it will go nice in a display case.

[AntiqueLocks]

As the OP thought the lock is brand new. They are being made in a variety of designs and styles / sizes probably in India / Pakistan.

Check ebay, there's dozens of them on there at any one time together with lots of fantasy / forgery's which catch many inexperienced collectors out.

[WolfSpring]

I figured it as newer, still a nice little lock, probably not worth five bucks but sometimes it's all about the "catchiness" of the lock. I figure it will look good in a display case with some other trinkets I've collected.

[raimundo]

Ive seen 'antique' made in pakistan swing shackle locks, perhaps one lever or simply a hard spring is the mechanism, but usually besides the made in pakistan that you might fing on it, there are rough tool marks from some grinder on the keyhole covers and such, these knockoffs look crude. but perhaps the one you have is from a better knockoff shop.