Care & Maintenance
Capramont & Co hardware is made from solid materials selected for both character and performance.
Some finishes are intended to evolve through handling and time; others are specified for greater visual stability, durability, or environmental resistance.
Care should be light, consistent, and in keeping with the material itself.
General care principles
The following applies across both Heritage and Atelier collections.
Soft cloth only
Wipe with a soft, lint-free cloth. Avoid abrasive pads, scourers, or rough cleaning materials.
Clean gently
If required, use a lightly damp cloth with mild soap only. Avoid harsh or aggressive cleaning products.
Dry thoroughly
Always dry hardware fully after cleaning, particularly in kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms, or coastal settings.
Let the finish behave naturally
Heritage living brass finishes are intended to deepen and settle through use. Metal polish is not recommended on these finishes.
Heritage Collection
Solid brass, hand-finished
Heritage comprises seven living brass finishes on a solid brass base, together with one finish in solid stainless steel.
The brass finishes are intended to patinate in use, deepening and settling through handling and time. Satin Stainless Steel offers a cooler, more stable alternative.
Living brass — seven finishes
Aged Brass
A warm living brass finish that deepens naturally with handling and time. Clean gently only when needed, dry thoroughly, and allow the finish to develop as intended.
Fine English Antique Brass
A softer, more settled brass tone with traditional character. Use a soft cloth, mild soap only when required, and dry after cleaning.
Dark Aged Brass
A darker brass finish with greater tonal restraint. Clean lightly, dry fully, and allow the surface to continue evolving through normal use.
Medium Bronze
A warmer bronze tone with more architectural weight. Care should remain light and infrequent, with thorough drying after cleaning.
Dark Bronze
A deeper, more substantial finish that continues to soften and patinate in use. Clean gently and avoid unnecessary intervention.
Black
A darker, more graphic hand-finished surface on solid brass. Use a soft cloth, mild soap only when needed, and dry promptly after cleaning.
Satin Brass
A cleaner, more contained brass expression. Maintain with a soft cloth and gentle cleaning only, allowing the finish to mature naturally over time.
Satin Stainless Steel
A cooler, more stable finish with a cleaner, more consistent appearance.
Wipe with a soft cloth, use mild soap if required, and dry thoroughly after cleaning.
Natural variation
Living finishes across the Heritage range will develop differently depending on environment, handling frequency, and the specific finish selected. A knob in daily use will patinate faster than a pull on a seldom-opened cabinet. Variation between pieces on the same kitchen is normal, expected, and part of what makes solid brass distinct from any plated or lacquered alternative. It should not be managed — it should be allowed to settle.
Atelier Collection
Performance materials, specified by requirement
Atelier is Capramont & Co’s performance-led collection. It is specified where the requirement extends beyond appearance alone, including corrosion resistance, environmental stability, dimensional control, surface durability, strength-to-weight efficiency, and higher-performing base materials.
Sector: Marine
Naval Brass
Specified where greater durability is required, including kitchens, utility areas, and coastal environments. Clean with a soft cloth, mild soap if needed, and dry thoroughly after cleaning.
Nickel-Coated Naval Brass
A nickel finish on a naval brass substrate, selected for improved environmental stability and stronger long-term material integrity. Clean gently and avoid abrasive products.
Marine-Grade Stainless Steel (316L)
Specified for prolonged exposure to moisture, salt air, and atmospheric change. Wipe regularly with a soft cloth, clean with mild soap if needed, and dry fully after cleaning.
Sector: Aerospace
Powdercoated Aluminium — Black
Selected where surface consistency and dimensional stability matter. Wipe with a soft cloth, use mild soap only when required, and avoid abrasive or solvent-based cleaning products.
Powdercoated Aluminium — White
A cleaner, more controlled white finish on a precision-machined aluminium base. Maintain with a soft cloth, mild soap if needed, and careful drying after cleaning.
Sector: Motor Racing
Carbon-Coated Stainless Steel — Black
A deep black finish specified where greater resistance to wear and marking is required. Clean gently with a soft cloth, mild soap if needed, and dry thoroughly.
Carbon-Coated Stainless Steel — Silver
A cleaner silver metal appearance with enhanced durability. Routine care should remain simple, gentle, and consistent.
Titanium
A high-performance material with inherent corrosion resistance and long-term stability. Wipe with a soft cloth, clean gently when needed, and dry after cleaning.
What to avoid
The following should not be used on Capramont & Co hardware:
Abrasive pads or cloths
Do not use rough or scouring materials on any finish.
Harsh chemical cleaners
Avoid aggressive cleaning products across both Heritage and Atelier collections.
Solvent-based products
These should not be used on finished surfaces.
Metal polish on living brass
Heritage living brass finishes are intended to patinate naturally over time.
Leaving hardware wet
Always dry hardware thoroughly after cleaning, especially in moisture-prone environments.
Unnecessary intervention
Many finishes perform best with light, simple, infrequent care rather than over-cleaning.
Frequently Asked Questions
To a degree. Regular wiping with a dry lint-free cloth removes surface residue before it has time to act on the metal. Keeping hardware dry — particularly after cleaning — slows the process. Minimising prolonged skin contact, which is mildly acidic, reduces the pace of change at touch points.
But these are moderating measures, not reversals. If a finish that does not change is the requirement, a living brass finish is not the right specification. The Heritage stainless steel finish, or the relevant Atelier material, will hold its appearance with greater consistency over time. The right approach is to select the finish that matches the intended outcome — not to work against the material after the fact.
A living finish is an unlacquered metal finish — one that has not had a protective coating applied to arrest its natural development. Without lacquer, the brass is in direct contact with air, moisture, and handling, and it responds accordingly: darkening at touch points, deepening in tone, and gradually acquiring a patina that reflects its specific environment and use.
This is not deterioration. It is the material behaving as solid brass has always behaved. The character a living finish develops over years of use cannot be replicated at the point of manufacture — it is earned. All seven brass finishes in the Heritage collection are living finishes.
Yes — but the finish will develop more quickly in a high-use environment than in a quieter one. Steam, condensation, cooking residue, and frequent handling all accelerate patination. This is not a problem with the material; it is the material responding to its conditions. The result, over time, is a finish with more depth and character than one used infrequently.
If the brief requires a finish that holds its appearance consistently over time regardless of use and environment, the relevant Atelier materials — Naval Brass, Marine-Grade Stainless Steel, or Carbon-Coated Stainless Steel — are specified for exactly this. The decision should be made at the specification stage, not retrofitted.
Yes, we ship all over the world. Contact Us for further details.
Before specifying
Unusual environments or conditions?
If a project involves coastal exposure, sustained high humidity, intensive daily use, or a cleaning regime outside standard residential conditions — discuss finish selection before specification is confirmed. The Atelier range exists for conditions where standard care is not sufficient.
Working on a live project?
The Hardware Schedule manages from initial brief through to procurement sign-off. Version-controlled, finish-confirmed, and designed to remove specification risk from the process. Available to qualified trade accounts.