Best Protectant For Shiny Stuff

which brings us back to the type of clear lacquer. Its already highly polished.
It looks like everbright is the stuff to use according to another forum as well.
 
Although my telescopes aren't beautifully finished like yours (that thing is pretty darn amazing!), I always have my parts powder coated, anodized, or use polyurethane.
Living in high and mostly dry Colorado I don't have nearly as much oxidation of unprotected metal parts. I have a friend who owns an 1892 6" Alvan Clark refractor (incredible optics) that is all unprotected brass and has a beautiful patina from many years of use. I've never been really happy with my own applications of spray on gloss polyurethanes, probably because I am impatient and clumsy as a painter, and so always use clear matt finishes. You on the other hand bus have great patience to turn out the finish quality that you have displayed in your 'scope. I am not very careful of the exterior finish of my scopes, which is why powdercoat is my choice. My optics on the other hand, are very well protected.

CHuck the grumpy old guy
 
I use gloss clear powder coat on polished brass shell caseings for wrighting pens , works good for that application, the parts need to cook for 15 min at 400 , might not be good for your app.
 
Call your nearest repairer of brass musical instruments and they will be able to tell you what products are available locally or by mail order (either nitrocellulose lacquer or baked-on epoxy lacquer--both are used and last for decades on musical instruments).

Bill
 
I make and sell mirror polished aluminum bolt knobs for Anschutz smallbore target rifles. They are handles maybe 100 times each shooting session, with sweaty hands. I ship them out with a coat of paste wax with Carnauba. No complaints thus far.
 
After seeing the result of your work on this telescope, I would just put it in a sealed glass case on display.
John.
 
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