A lot of people, when it comes to copper cups, make a patina on the cup, and then leave it as is. Brass cups however, don't, in my opinion, look very good tarnished, but it is a pain in the ass to keep them shiny. What do you guys do with your brass cups, continuously polish them, form a patina and leave them as is, or something else? Thanks a lot.



P.S. I am soon getting a set of SBL Super Shibby Street Cups from RNT2. ONLY $200!!!!!   Since they are copper, and well made, they will inevitably retire my Brass Street Cups in Brass by Magic Makers, thanks God! 

Ketchup,

You are so right, brass Cups look better polished. I clean my Johnson Cups about every 3 months and then apply car polish to keep them shiny as I handle them. For some reason, I also keep my Copper Mendoza Cups polished.

Take care,
Bruce

I happen to be one of the strange birds when it comes to cups. I like to polished and make them shiny.

I just find something warm about the cup when it has a glow.

That is just my two cents. 

Sean

I used to polish every cup I can get my hands on. Over the past year...I just let all my cups be. Regarding the brass. I found that the more I polish them...the more I have the need to re polish. Its a never ending thing as far as the brass cups are concerned. It is very difficult to keep it looking even ..... even during performances. After two routines...the cups begin to develop smudges and finger prints. This is just my opinion of course. You guys might want to give it a shot. Just use them as often as you can and just allow them to collect stains from your natural oils etc.... you will see that it might be the actual look you are seeking. If anything else....you can always re polish it.

Mabuhay from Manila!

Rannie

I too am a polisher. I love the look of clean bright copper, brass, silver and gold.
I'm accustom to cleaning the cups prior to a performance, and it only takes a couple of minutes.
For copper I use a copper cream called Wrights, they make a Silver cream also that is mild (too mild for copper cleaning). Both these creams are sold in my local grocery store. I used to use Penny Brite for the copper, but can't find it anymore.
For brass I first use the copper cream to clean the surface and then use Nev-R Dull, the cotton wadding in a can on the outside surface. It's messy but the shine is bright and lasts longer. I also use the Nev-R Dull on Morgan Silver Dollars and copper coins to add a lasting luster after cleaning with a cream.
I tried Flitz, but I just didn't like it. Too much work...
The shine I get from Nev-R Dull lasts longer than any other polish I've tried.

I find that it all depends on the Cup… some just speak to me and say “Keep me shiny.” That doesn’t make me crazy. I have to go, the toaster wants something.

Take care,
Bruce

I, surprisingly, am too a polisher. I just used the patina on copper cups as an example because I thought that a lot of people on here liked to form patinas on their cups. Sorry for my assumption . I use Brasso on my cups, and then coat them with a wax- type finish to preserve the shine a little bit after use.

I swore off Brasso a long time ago. After 6 years of military service I swore I would never touch the stuff again...

Ever notice how some brass comes with a lacquer finish on it? Being a polisher, I hate that. I got a set of the Magic Makers Mini Cups and Balls and it took a good deal of scrubbing with a strong copper cleaner to get the lacquer off so I could get down to the brass and shine it.

BTW, the Magic Maker Mini cups and balls are not good for an actual cups and balls routine, other than the most basic penetration effects, but they kick some serious arse in a 3 Shell Game routine. Because one of the cups is chopped, I was able to fabricate a simple load of a stack of dimes for a finale with just a thumbtack and some felt and thread.

Don

Are those the little machined lumps of brass they tried to pass off as cups? I have a set too. I didn't notice any lacquer but there was a black spot on the side of one of them. Try as I may, it just won't go away. I fear it's an impurity in the metal rather than a surface blemish.

I too gave these cups a shot... witha gun... because they're so awful. They're just not worth even---  just... just awful.

I agree, they are an awful set of cups for C & B.

I'm telling you though, they ARE usable for a 3 Shell Game routine, and have enough inside height to accomodate some interesting finales for the routine. Untraditional, true, but I have a great presentation with the hook phrase "this time, I'm going to make a little change..." The result is that they get their dollar back, in change: 10 dimes, with the pea on top of the stack.
I can't stack 10 dimes in any other shell set I have.

Maybe this forum needs a discussion area for the 3 Shell Game. I, for one, believe that acetabula et calculi and thimble-rigging are cousins. With the cups being the jovial cousin and the thimbles being the thieving cousin.
D

Sorry, I just saw there is a previous post on the subject of 3 Shells being included in this forum, and the reasons it has not happened... 

And what was the reason? I recall our esteemed host saying: