question on zinkrot

[billmunny]

Hello!

I posted pics of this badge on the political forum without any response, but is the tarnish zinkrot, something else, and can it be removed, etc.?

Thanks!

[Paul R.]

Yes this badge is in the early stages of zink rust, or zink rot. There is no way to stop it, or long term cure or a fix. This topic seems to come up every couple of weeks or so. Contray to popular belief in past threads there is no cure for zink pest, or zink rot. There are a lot of temporary fixes that people have come up with, but nothing long term. Not one of these temporary fixes really last or stop it completely. These fixes only address the topical part of the medal, and not the medal composition. I have worked in the field of conservation for many years. Many museums have spent thousands of dollars on research on this problem only to conclude there is no long term cure. Many museums have items in their collections that are display these zink problems. These museums have a big intrest in solving the problem long term.
I would be cautious in jumping into a tempory fix. Some of these fixes could cause more problems down the road. Paul

[billmunny]

Thanks

Thanks, Paul, for the kind reply.

[Stahlhelm]

I've viewed a number of threads in which collectors have successfully removed the ovbvious zinc pest/rot appearance from the surface of an item. This has been done using various methods, and the collectors often seem confident that they have permanently cured their collectible.

However, I agree with Paul R. that this problem is, unfortunately, a deeper issue within the composition of the metal itself--already more deeply infected. The return of the zinc pest, even after being topically removed, is surely only a temporary treatment for a terminal condition, so to speak.

The great thing about Paul R.'s experience as a conservation researcher is that he's dealt with it in a lab and really put it to the test. As usual, thanks again Paul for all the information answering questions from a scientific, research-based point of view. I wish the news were better, but the truth is surely what we want anyway.

Chris