Results coming in... Photos below.
Parts tested: Solo's Hold ROTJ V2 booster/pommel section + Spirit of Ob1's MK1 crystal chamber
Baking soda and hot water: No effect
Dishwasher detergent and hot water: No effect
Five Star Liquid Line Cleaner and water: immediate reaction on contact. Fizzing and oxygen being released from liquid. The effect was visibly different (opposite) on each piece.
• Ob1's chamber: white pasty/foam residue forms on outside of alu. Rinse it off to reveal BRIGHTER finish.
• SH booster/pommel: darkening within a seconds. Very consistent BLACK coating on outside of alu when removed. Survives rinsing but rubs off onto hands. Washing with soap and water with a sponge removes all traces of the black.
Dishwasher with Finish Powder detergent ("Normal" cycle): Success. Both parts visibly darkened overall.
• Ob1's crystal turned the typical grey I'd expect from old aluminum.
• SH's booster/pommel grey-brown patina
Here you can see the results on the SH booster/pommel with Liquid Line Cleaner (caustic cleanser) mixed with water (high concentration):
View attachment 703508View attachment 703506
And here the two test parts after a normal cycle in my dishwasher: Note the contrast against the un-tarnished original aluminum.
View attachment 703507 View attachment 703516
The effects are reversible and can be cleaned up, reduced, evened-out, modulated, etc. easily with scotch-brite. I'll be tarnishing the entire saber prior to final prep and paint.
The mystery is solved!! Very nice turn out pixel!!
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