doug out a parts of german spike helmet-how to clean them?

[czesio]

Hello
It's doug out a parts of german spike helmet. My questions: how to clean them?They are made from brass. Thanks for help
Szymek

[Paul R.]

Czesio.. Sorry No offense here.. but why clean off history? I am trying to understand the logic behind our habit of making something bright and shiny? Why wipe of any history only to have a bright shinny object on a shelf. It's not new any more like it once was years ago and never will be again. Polishing can also plunge value of a historical item. Most collectors are okay with non polished things whether it was ground dug or not.
<OOf course these are your items to do with what ever you want to do with them. </O

[schönbeck]

is ground dug a piece of history, well yes in a way. On the other hand better looking items almost always sell better. A soldier wouldnt have a dirty equipment so he cleaned it. If a vetran polish he iron cross, is it really wrong. I dont think so.

YOu can try to use bath, but tin alu foil in something that could hold water, put salt or baking soda there as well. Boil some water and put it in the container. Put the items in the bath. Its best on silver but I think it will work on brass as well. No polish is requiered.

[Paul R.]

Cleaning an item with baking soda, salt you can clean car battery post with that? Wow! You gotta be kidding right? That’s fairly caustic brew on old artifacts that were buried. Even if it was not buried. Of course it’s your items to do with as you see fit.

[schönbeck]

this is the same method you see on tv-shop.
Temporary salt wont do any harm. YOu have to wash it well afterwards.
Baking soda, is a common household product and is used for baking. Maybe I'm using the wrong term, do you say baking powder?
This method was demonstrated on the Antique Road Show.

[Jean-Loup]

I usualy dont clean anything, but sometimes use normal vinagre on copper items. It makes them very shinny and chemical looking (of course, normal looking patina comes back with time), but apparently the vinagre does not attack the copper itself, only crap attached to the copper. I have only used this method on items (shell fragments) that were really filthy and encrusted with dirt and sand. (see results below).
I wouldnt use it on these spiked helmet parts that look very nice already.

JL