I have aqcuired a very old, very ginormous brass bed. It has a great deal of tarnish. I also have a brass polishing kit that appears to be older than I am. I am small and not terribly strong. Any ideas? Tips or tricks? I am quite fond of the bed.
Brasso. There may be better shit out there, but people have been buying Brasso for over a hundred years. It’s the Kleenex of brass polishers.
Power tools. You don’t want to de-tarnish an entire bedstead by hand.
True enough, but you’ll still want an abrasive polish, elbow grease or Dremel notwithstanding.
you could ask seven salty seamen to come over and shine the whole thing for you at once 
when I was Navy, I had to *polish the Big Brass Bell. Brasso = awesome.
*one of the innumerable tiresome tasks allotted to those who are
- of low rank or
- being intentionally punished “extra duty”