Orbituary

That’s my point.

Who do you think runs Hong Kong? Even when the Brits did, they only had it on a 99 year and 1 day lease from China.

Go to a bar?

So, you’re saying that OP, asking for advice on a simple clear coat, should just wing it and try to color match then paint the rubbed off copper themselves?

Cool. Great advice.

Nail polish needs UV to cure properly and it becomes glassy and will break over time. It might bond with the surface of the clip and pull little bits of paint up with it, making it look worse… and that’s only if it doesn’t get gooped on and look runny afterward.

You could, but I think that if you preserve it as-is, you’ll be happier.

I work on vintage guitars and other instruments. Wear and tear is called “patina,” which I’m sure you’ve heard. In years to come, you’ll come to enjoy that little bit that’s gone away… but if you try to fix it, it might get worse and you’ll end up like Calvin trying to cut his own hair.

It’s a lost art form because it’s not easy to work with and you often have to buy it from specialty stores to get the good stuff. It’s made from insect carapaces. I use it when refinishing guitars for an aged, amber appearance.

Get clear coat spray. Test a little in a spot that isn’t visible to make sure it doesn’t react with the surface negatively. Spray some onto cloth that won’t leave behind fibers or you’ll be sad, then wipe a little on a corner and make sure the material and surface coloring don’t react or run.

After you’ve let it dry, check it.

Hang it from a wire or something so you can get all sides in one pass.

Spray clear coat LIGHTLY.

Like… SUPER LIGHTLY. One small pass. Let it dry. Spray from about 6-8 inches from the clip and move your hand in one direction smoothly… left to right or whatever. Don’t do the hairspray thing where you’re just dousing it.

Look at the clip again, make sure you’re not messing it up.

Spray again LIGHTLY.

You don’t want to build up a thick goop on the outside or it will be awful looking and you’ll ruin your thing.

Let it dry.

Don’t handle it while it’s drying.

Did I mention to spray LIGHTLY? (It will make all the difference).

Don’t do this.

Edit: People, read my post. I’m saying this from experience. Don’t do this. Putting “maybe a couple of coats” of nail polish is a recipe for OP ruin their object if done poorly.

Don’t down vote me because you don’t like my tone. I’m trying to protect OP’s little treasure. Stop being so damned reactive and sensitive.

I can’t tell if this is a paid-for article by OpenNebula or what. It reads that way.