Care Instructions

Care & Maintenance
Keep your kit sharp. Let it earn its scars, not rot in a drawer.

Brass: It’s Supposed to Live a Little

Our pieces are cut from solid brass. Like all good metal, it will mark, age and darken with time. That’s patina – the proof you’ve actually lived in it.

If you prefer your brass looking parade-ready:

  • Wipe it down regularly with a soft, dry cloth.

  • If it needs more, use a non-abrasive metal polish on the metal only, then buff with a clean cloth.

  • Avoid anything described as “heavy duty”, “grit”, “scourer” or intended for pans, sinks or tools – it will scratch the surface and remove detail.

If you like it more battle-worn:

  • Just wipe off sweat, oils and dirt with a soft cloth.

  • Let the colour deepen naturally. Small marks and darkening are normal and part of the character.

Water, Sweat & Chemicals

Your pieces are tough. But they’re not invincible.

  • Take off before swimming, saunas, hot tubs and long showers.

  • Avoid perfume, aftershave, hairspray, deodorant, sun cream and cleaning chemicals – they can stain or dull the metal and cords.

  • Sweat won’t kill it, but if you’ve been training hard, rinse briefly in lukewarm water, dry thoroughly, and you’re good.

If your skin sometimes reacts to metals, limit long, wet contact and keep the piece clean and dry. If irritation occurs, stop wearing and speak to a medical professional.

Brushed / Satin Finish

Most Carter Dangerfield pieces run a brushed or satin finish – clean, purposeful, no nonsense.

To keep that look:

  • Use a soft, lint-free cloth to remove fingerprints and smudges.

  • Avoid polishing wheels, rotary tools or abrasives at home – you can quickly destroy the finish and edges.

  • Don’t scrub across engraved areas – it will soften the detail over time.

If you accidentally scratch it badly, get in touch and we’ll advise if it can be rescued.

Cords, Clasps & Moving Parts

If your piece includes cord or moving components, treat them like working gear, not disposable fashion:

  • Avoid soaking cord in water. If it gets wet, pat dry and let it air-dry completely before wearing again.

  • Don’t yank, twist or pull on the cord as a fidget toy – that’s how fibres fail.

  • Check clasps and fixings now and then. If something feels loose, stop wearing it and contact us.

Cords and moving parts are wear items – they will eventually show use. When they’re tired, they can often be replaced or refreshed instead of scrapping the whole piece.

Storage: Off-Duty Protocol

When you’re not wearing it:

  • Store pieces individually so they don’t knock chunks out of each other.

  • Keep them in a dry place, away from direct sunlight, radiators, windowsills and bathrooms.

  • A small pouch or box is ideal. If you want to slow patina, a sealed bag with an anti-tarnish strip will help.

Avoid leaving your jewellery sitting on marble, unsealed wood or soft furniture – metal can mark surfaces, and some surfaces can mark the metal.

Engraving & Detail Work

Our engraving is deep and designed for real life:

  • Clean engraved areas gently with a soft cloth.

  • Don’t dig into them with pins, nails, brushes or toothpicks – you’ll damage lines rather than clean them.

  • Avoid metal polishes with heavy abrasives directly over fine detail.

If an engraved piece looks dull all over, a light, non-abrasive polish on the flat surfaces only, followed by a thorough buff, will bring the contrast back.

Contact, Repairs & Refresh

If your piece has had a hard campaign – deep knocks, serious scratches, bent components or a cord that’s given up – don’t bin it.

  • Drop us a message with photos.

  • We’ll let you know if it can be cleaned up, refinished or rebuilt, and what that might cost.

We’d rather see a piece back on your wrist, neck or pocket, doing its job, than retired to a drawer.

In short:
Wear it hard. Keep it dry. Keep chemicals away. Wipe it down.
If it looks like it’s taken one hit too many – report back to base (that’s us).