[maple_leaf_eh]

I would add that Brasso and other brass polishs are corrosive. They work by removing the tarnished surface layer of the brass. How often have we seen Brasso'd cap badges that were smooth and without definition? Add to that the two cannons at Royal Roads Military College that have/had, 'No Polishing' signs to keep from losing any more of their markings to cadets under punishment.

So, nothing abrasive or corrosive. You are trying to make the plates look new and untouched, not old and restored.