Seriously, so hot! I feel I need to write about brass this week because we are quoting (and selling) so much brass this summer. I’m not sure what’s going on, but brass is beautifying homes, cabinetry and vent ducts via Modern Metal at a steady pace. It’s thrilling for us because it’s such an incredible material to work with, truly exquisite in both its finished and unfinished form. We are devoted supporters of our knock off powder coated steel “badass brass”, but there’s no denying that the real deal is our fave.
Fabulous Brass Finishing
We posted a reel earlier this week where I describe one the fabulous brass finishers we work with, Gerber Hinge. I was referred to Gerber years ago from people in the industry who I trust, Tim Folger of Folger and Burt Architectural Metal and Hardware and Susan Schmidt from Katonah Architectural Hardware. I am a firm believer in working with the very best artisans, people who take pride in their work and of course deliver a product that meets our high standards. Gerber sets the bar! They are amazing, and have worked over the years on our pieces, perfecting their technique and adapting to our product sizes and needs. It’s essential for me that I work with vendors who are honest and who I trust. With Gerber, this is the case, and I never question their pricing because I know I’m going to get what I pay for.
Prices are high. Cost of brass and bronze is high. Welding brass is not an option, so it needs to be braised. This requires we work with very skilled welders and craftsman who are experienced and confident in this refined technique. Our laser cutters buy the best brass they can, and cut with precision and exceptional skill. Finishing is all done by hand, not a machine so it’s a labor of love from start to end. For us, we are always excited when a job comes in specified in brass, but also a bit nervous, only because the material and process is expensive, and there’s no room for error.
That being said, when a customer specifies brass, we do tell them that there are sometimes natural irregularities inherent to the metal, so the surface isn’t always completely “perfect” and the finish may vary slightly from piece to piece and order to order as this is a by hand process. In my opinion, this is what makes brass that much more beautiful.
Unpredictable Brass Finish
Brass patinas as it ages if left unfinished. Gerber has a finish called “living finish” which means it can change over time. We usually offer our clients a coated option which prevents this change over time. We have satin, rubbed (antiqued), and polished, and within antiqued, there is huge variety in hue from dark to light. We’ll always send you a finish chip to approve and tell you that you’ll receive VERY CLOSE to this finish, but it may not be exact, just like every batch of cookies in a bakery may be a tad different. We love that there’s variety and that little tiny bit of unknown, because wouldn’t life be so boring if everything was perfectly predictable?
We encourage you to live it up this summer, take the plunge into luxurious metals, and let us know if you want to beautify your project with Modern Metal laser cut brass!
