Rub N Buff Wax Metallic Finishes 12 Color Sampler Set

Great selection of shades of gold for updating hardware. Worked out well!

Why I was a child, my mother used to find old picture frames to restore and resell to help food on the table. Rub and Buff was her go to product. It is easy to use, but it must be used carefully. Once it touches a surface it adheres to that surface. This multi-packet is nice because it gives you a range of colors, and when you are trying to repair anything gold with a luster, you find out quickly that there are a million different types of gold. Some are cool, some can lean toward pink. So this packet gives you range to work with. A little of this goes a long way. What I recommend is taking some from the tube and cutting it from the spout with a toothpick on to foil covered plate, and then working that to mix. once you have a color match, let the material sit for a minute or two, then apply a small amount carefully to the surface, pause again, carefully remove the excess, and then let it sit for about 15 minutes to a half hour before you buff. This lets the pigment bond with the surface. Remember, once this hits a surface, it acts like an oil paint, so be careful. Acetone is your best option for cleaning. Read instructions. But like I said, this is a great product!

I love this product and have used it for years. A little goes a long way and the results are always amazing! I have had 1/2 oz tubes of grecian gold, gold leaf, and antique gold for many years. I have used them for jewelry, picture frames, an antique metal lamp, book covers, buttons, scrapbooking, and most recently for my two porch lamps that I thought I was going to have to replace. See the pictures! I still have some left in my original 3 tubes after many more projects than I just mentioned! I was so excited when I saw this 12 pack with many new color finishes I had never tried or known about! They arrived super fast, were packaged very well, and this is such a bargain at this price considering it averages about $6 per tube when purchased seperately. I can't wait to try out my new colors!

I'm giving this a '4' rating because Instead of including a tube of Spanish Copper I got one of the gold waxes; I had to order the Spanish Copper separately. Rub 'N Buff is such a good product that this was merely an inconvenience.

This product is a great deal when you figure one tube runs about $6.00. So I purchased the whole set, and was surprised to find all 12 in a box with no instructions on use. They assume someone would know how to apply the compounds, but it would be helpful to have a color chart to show that Grecian Gold is different from Antique Gold or Spanish Gold. Also, a color chart showing each color on differing metals would have been amazing. Besides that, there's no information on how to use, whether a fixative is needed, and how long the colors may last. More worrisome is that there's no indication if the chemicals in these are dangerous if used on a piece that lies on the skin (as in jewelry patinas). Or if you should wear gloves. Not even instructions on how to clean up OR store. The fumes are pretty strong, and I don't feel really comfortable using them without gloves. It did include a project sheet from what appears to be a gifted high school, showing what several students had done with the compounds. Amazing stuff! But it wasn't necessarily helpful unless that same teacher outsources to my house to explain the techniques. So, I did some experimenting. On plain copper, it dries fairly quick and is easy to rub off with sandpaper or a steel brush and achieve a tiny patina, but most of it comes off. I would love to have known how long the compound needs to remain to last longer. On a piece of distressed copper, with deckling and texturing, it worked better, filling in the depressions and remaining as the contrast on the piece. Looked good, but ??? How long will it last? Do I need a fixative glue? Is there any that are better than others for the product? Better yet, wouldn't it have been cool to have included a sample one? Will this interact with liver of sulphur? So many questions, that a simple instruction page would have answered. I'll google the questions, but in the future may hesitate to buy this product again without more advice. I'm new at this and don't want to waste my time misusing it. I hope you find this review helpful!

I have been working on an older home, and I use Rub N Buff whenever I need to refurbish an old light fixture. It is nice that there are a number of colors which I can use to try to replicate the original finish color. I have also used it on metal fireplace surrounds and covers. It does an amazing job in a short amount of time. Many of the items I finished several years ago, and they look just as nice now as they did then. I like to place an old vinyl tablecloth beneath my work space, and I wear disposable gloves when applying the rub n buff. I keep a can of WD40 nearby, and WD40 plus an old sock will clean the rub n buff off of anything which I accidentally get rub n buff on. If I don't like the color of the piece I'm working on, I can clean the rub n buff off with WD40, dry it well with the sock, then. try another color.