Metal Man Restoration polishes and refinishes metal that has gone dull, oxidized, or scratched. We work on household pieces, antiques, architectural hardware, and production runs for manufacturers, and we do the polishing by hand in our own Mount Vernon shop rather than sending it out.
Metal We Polish
Brass, bronze, copper, nickel, chrome, stainless steel, aluminum, and pewter. Door and window hardware, lighting, railings, beds, trays and hollowware, machined parts, and architectural trim. If it is metal and it should shine, it usually comes through this shop.
Hand Polishing and Production Polishing
Hand polishing is for one-off and antique pieces where the shape, detail, and original surface matter. Production polishing is for volume, where a manufacturer needs the same finish repeated across a run to a consistent standard. We do both, and the two are quoted differently.
Antique and Bare Metal Restoration
Old brass and bronze usually carry lacquer, tarnish, and decades of polish residue. We strip that back to bare metal, remove pitting and scratches as far as the material allows, then bring the surface up to the finish you want and lacquer it so it holds. On antiques we take the least aggressive route that will do the job, because metal removed is metal you do not get back.
Choosing a Finish
Mirror, satin, brushed, and antiqued finishes all wear differently. A mirror finish on a door push plate looks superb and shows every fingerprint. A satin or brushed finish hides handling far better in a busy entry. We will tell you which one suits the piece and the traffic it sees.
Metal Polishing Services
- Production Polishing, high-volume polishing for manufacturers to a repeatable finish standard
- Hardware Restoration, antique and architectural door and window hardware brought back to working order and finish
- Brass Bed Restoration, cleaning, repair, buffing, polishing, and lacquering of antique and vintage frames
- Cast Iron Repair, Metal Casting and Fabrication, repairs, replacement castings, soldering, brazing, and welding
- Hardware Restoration in Manhattan, the same hardware work for Manhattan buildings and co-ops
Common Questions About Metal Polishing
These are the questions we hear most about polishing, from single heirloom pieces through to production runs.
Can you polish metal that has been lacquered or painted?
Yes. We strip the old lacquer or paint first, then polish the bare metal underneath and re-lacquer if you want the finish protected.
Can scratches and pitting be polished out?
Scratches usually come out. Deep pitting is limited by how much material can safely be removed, and on thin or plated pieces there is less to work with. We assess each piece before quoting.
Do you polish aluminum?
Yes, including aluminum trim and castings. Aluminum polishes to a bright finish but marks more easily than brass or stainless, so a protective coating is worth considering.
Do you take on production runs?
Yes. We handle high-volume production polishing for manufacturers and businesses, working to a repeatable finish standard across the run.
Will polished brass stay bright?
Not on its own, it will tarnish. Lacquering slows that down considerably. For pieces that are handled constantly, a maintenance schedule keeps them bright without re-polishing from scratch.
Related Services
- Metal restoration in Mount Vernon, NY
- Metal plating and re-plating
- Metal cleaning and maintenance in New York, for scheduled upkeep of architectural metal rather than polishing
- Architectural metal restoration
- Lighting restoration
Get Your Piece Quoted
To get a piece quoted, call (914) 662-4218 or send photos through the form below. We will tell you what finish suits it and what the work involves.
Projects Like This
Real projects from our own shop and job sites. Every one of these is work we did ourselves.
Newark City Hall
In April 2006, Metal Man Restoration was hired to restore the exterior bronze lighting fixtures and window hardware...
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US Customs House Philadelphia PA
Metal Man Restoration was hired to restore the metalwork at the US Customs House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
View the project
I live in Southern California, and chose Metal Man Restoration in New York instead of local places on the basis of Yelp reviews, and have to confirm them - the results we got were spectacular. We received a brass Stiffel lamp 40 years ago as a wedding gift, and it was a corroded mess by the time I...
Our Clients
We serve a diverse range of clients, including homeowners, contractors, antique dealers, hardware companies, insurance companies, restoration companies, and collectors.
