“Tug
Boat Brass” is a new web site dedicated to making available to the general
public, marine fixtures that can provide a nautical ambiance in the home or
office. Nothing can beat a brass passageway light or a brass porthole in changing
an otherwise boring room into
one with an interesting setting. That’s why many seafood restaurants add
a few of these items around their rooms to complement the dining experience.
On a smaller scale, the average home or office space needs only one or two pieces
of brass to afford the same maritime illusion. However, the items that we offer
are not reproductions or cheap imitations, but the real thing. Many of these
items served onboard vessels for over 45 years. The brass removed from the “Patrick
J. McHugh” was installed in 1951 when the “Edward Matton” as
it was known then, was commissioned. All vessels are registered by the U. S.
Coast Guard and assigned a unique identification number. This number along with
the vessel hardware installation suffix characters can be found stamped on the
flange of the major objects. These numbers aided in keeping track of where each
item was located on the tugboat, and additionally served as a serial number
for security reasons. A sheet explaining the suffix characters will accompany
each object shipped. Each item sold is accompanied with documentation about
its complete history. After all, a conversation piece with a story is better
than one just offering good looks. Modern vessels no longer employ hardware
made of bronze and brass due to the high cost of these metals and the short
life expectancy of the boats. Stainless steel, aluminum, and even plastics have
gained preeminence. Furthermore, brass and bronze command good prices at the
scrap yards. Fewer and fewer of the old time brass pieces survive to remind
people of sailing to “far away places with strange sounding names”.
The brass and bronze objects that we deal in are of the exact style and size
that U. S. Navy ships and large ocean freighters used. Obviously, plastic doesn’t
lend itself to enhancing its surroundings. A note of caution is called for here.
Beware of the dreaded “Bronze Disease”. No, its not harmful to people,
but it can be devastating to copper based metals. Click on the “Bronze
Disease” section to arm yourself against having an unfortunate item with
this condition being foisted upon you. We know what vessels our items came from,
and we decline to deal in any brass that has been under salt water. Ours’
is a very narrowly focused ships chandlery that specializes in brass and bronze.
But we deal only through this web site and not at a brick and mortar store.
We are located in Syracuse, New York, which just happens to be at the center
point of the Erie Canal. This is where we make the effort to turn the tarnished
paint splattered brass objects into things of lasting beauty. Every item that
we offer goes through the following steps. First, The object is disassembled
and all parts are degreased. Second, all paint is stripped off. Third, the metal
parts are immersed in an acid bath to remove tarnish. Fourth, worn and broken
components are replaced for full functionality. Fifth, the outside metal surfaces
are burnished to a high luster. Sixth, the object is treated to a final detergent
bath to remove handling marks. By this time all work is done with cotton gloves
on. Finally, any requested options such as mirrors or a mahogany lamp base,
are added to meet the customers wishes. Whether the object is lacquer coated
or left with a natural finish, it is covered in a zip lock bag, prior to packing.
This brings us back to the initial sentence of this page, namely our goal of
placing these remarkable objects into homes and offices so that they may serve
another useful life.
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