Metal chess set - How to restore?

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone might have some advice...

I have a metal Italfama chess set from around 1999 (see pics).  The pieces are metal (brass?) as is the board I assume. The board itself has tarnish/oxidation, and I'm actually not sure if it's Italfama brand or not as there is no label.  In any case, I am more interested in fixing the pieces.  The gold pieces are marked up with scratches/scrapes, and I am wondering what, if anything, I can do to restore them. Seems like the gold colouring may be some sort of finish that has been scraped off while the silver pieces are just unfinished polished brass or other metal. The silver pieces look great and do have a slight patina on some pieces that I don't mind at all.  The gold, however, need some work. Just wondering if anyone has advice on how to clean up/fix the gold pieces.  Also, is there a way to tell if they are brass or a different metal? Thanks in advance!

I doubt the gold pieces are brass as there would be no need for a finishing coating. They're probably the same as the silver pieces ( Pewter or something like that) but painted or gilded. You could probably buff the silver ones up if needed but you'd have to find out what the gold pieces are coated with and re-do. You'd need to do some research for that.

Appreciate the response! I think you're right, I'll have to figure out what the finish is and if there is someone or some way to re-finsish/repair.

Thanks for that suggestion. I sent them a message through their website

I know this is an old thread, but wondered if you ever heard back from the company? I recently acquired the same set, but it's missing a couple of pieces. According to the Italfama website it is model 11B and made from solid brass. I know Flitz metal polish will clean it up, but also remove the patina and any lacquer coating at the same time.

This chess set's heavy

MaestroDelAjedrez2025 wrote:

This chess set's heavy

Indeed. The catalog calls it the Large Staunton. The design looks skinny, but the pieces are heavy. The King is 73mm and weighs 110g. The Knight is even heavier at 115g.

@PinkMankini, based on the rings, lack of deep dents, and weight, I reckon these are CNC Milled from Stainless Steel. Also, brass heavily tarnishes over time, and we don’t see that here. You could probably get the gold side stripped and retreated through chemical processes, but a decent can of spray paint could probably get you great results. If you don’t like the paint, stripping would be a breeze.

The gold pieces are solid brass as described by the manufacturer Italfama. Like virtually all brass products (lamps, candlesticks), they apply a thin lacquer coating to deter tarnishing when new. The metal still oxidizes, but much slower than anywhere the lacquer has been scratched, rubbed off or dissolved. That's why the oxidation in OP's photo is irregular. You can clean the object with chemical cleaners to look new, but it also strips off more of the lacquer. Within months, the tarnish will appear irregular again.

The easiest way to strip the lacquer off completely is using #0000 steel wool, the type used in furniture refinishing. If used on all the chess pieces, they will look new. If you want to prevent tarnishing again, then you can reapply lacquer. I would recommend real lacquer with a satin finish (not polyurethane or enamel) to match the original closely.

Note: 1) The manufacturer doesn't mention a different alloy for the silver pieces. I'm guessing the composition is like pewter using copper/tin instead of copper/zinc like brass. 2) The metal will always tarnish as it oxidizes. So, learn to enjoy the patina unless you want to polish 32 pieces once in awhile.