Maintaining Nelson casegoods pulls  

no
suggestions?

remove, clean, polish, spray...
remove, clean, polish, spray lacquer in a dust free environment

wax
a paste wax will buff out clear and be a non-permanent solution. You may need to do it once a year, but it will protect the pulls from tarnish in the meantime.

I got 'em clean
using Brasso....
They're pitted and in typical condition for the age of the dresser, so I decided to spray 'em with clear lacquer.
I read that they're made of zinc alloy, brass and copper-plated and finished in silver, which explains why they get so grungy.
I also have to lightly sand to top of the dresser too, and when I get that done, I'll take a photograph.

The hairpin legs
didn't clean up very well. Thjey appear to be either 100% zinc alloy or perhaps, alluminum, They have dark spots on them and they don't seem to come out. I used Brasso, and then actually used an SOS soap pad on 'em, which brightened up the background and but those dark spots are still dark.
So I just put them back on and gave up.

Why?
Why would you want them to look like new even if you could Barry? If you have a nice vintage piece don't you want it to reflect its age? I love a good patina on my things, it shows that they have lived, and been "loved". Of course you want it to be functional and structurally sound. If something is trashed, upholstery shredded, or foam petrified I have no qualms about repairing reupholstering or restoring something so it can serve its function, be used and enjoyed. But a nice mellow patina to wood and even oxidation and modeling to the metal is quite desirable as far as I'm concerned.

The hairpin legs look dark and dirty and the handles
used to look dark and gross, but now they don't look new, but they look mighty nice.
I did not refinished the piece, it's in original vintage condition.