I have the same question. This bracket is nickel plated something.

If a magnet isn’t attracted to it, my bet is brass.

My answer ain’t definitive: Many others here have far more experience than I do!

The rims on that drum are Brass. Any plating (in my experience) on brass will continually shine and outlast plating on any other medium (if properly cared for). The tension rods are steel and the lugs are most likely pot metal. They will polish up and shine too, but you may have to spend twice the effort to see the results. I generally submerge dull or dirty parts in 100% Dawn (blue) for at least 24 hours and then scrub them with a soft bristle toothbrush under warm water, then thoroughly dry for polishing (however, I sometimes use a small brass bristle brush for threads). Another helpful trick is to use very sturdy, stiff Q-tips for getting the polish into tight areas, such as decorative trim and corners.

White Vinegar is an acid and is also very aggressive on rust but, 24 hours is the maximum because it will eventually go after the plating too. It's interesting to see the parts giving off bubbles after a few hours as they attack the oxide (rust).

The part of the bracket that clamps onto the hoop is magnetic so I assume nickel on steel. The rest of the bracket is not magnetic so I assume nickel on brass. I’m going to give Dawn a try to remove the rust.

Nickel does not come out as shiny as chrome, no matter what you use. It smooths out the surface, which enhances the shine, but it still shows the worn away spots that were there before. Don’t be discouraged, it’s the nature of nickel. Some aged nickel is in better condition and will produce better results with a cleaning and polishing. I use Flitz, and get it at Ace Hardware. Sometimes double application produces better results, but always use 100% cotton cloths.

I use Cape Cod polishing cloths...

Cheers

I always use a buffing wheel on nickel with a little rubbing compound. You need to be careful not to take the nickel off but it is far better than simple polishing. See attached from my own 38 Leedy. BTW I know the lug box isn't nickel on brass but it came out well!

Nicely done!

I have real good luck using Flitz green. Do not use vinegar on nickel.