wax question

[ralvarez]

I am looking to get some wax to preserve a brass medal of mine in hopes of sealing it from future moisture/surface damage. I thought I recalled hearing somewhere that there is a basic type of auto wax that can be used for this purpose...anyone know if that's true...or is a renwax type product my only choice...?

I'd also like to know if there's anything I should/can apply to neutralize the surface prior to any wax application?

Thanks for any help...

Russell

[aechols83]

Hi, Russell. I use and reccomend Renaissance Wax. Although perhaps a bit more expensive, I think it is a super product. The only real prep work I ever do is try to make sure an item is relatively clean insofar as the wax can make good contact with the surface to be treated. For loose grit, I use a very soft toothbrush to lightly brush it away. For anything more (and only with certain items/materials) I'll use a light solution of vulpex liquid soap, again with the very light use of a soft toothbrush.

Best,
Adam

[Stu W]

Hello Russell,

I'm a fan of Renaissance Wax but in this case I wonder if you really need it. Brass will develop a patina but to the best of my knowledge it isn't really affected by moisture. If I were you I'd keep it in a clean dry place and see what transpires.

Regards,
Stu

[Paul R.]

Stu is correct brass will have a nice pitina weather stored in a dry area or slightly higher moister levels .

It’s always better to control moister problems with a dehumidifier, and don't rely solely on Ren Wax. Not just for metal objects but also your entire collection.
I have seen objects that came into the conservation lab coated in Ren Wax. The objects were stored in a high humidity storage system. After a while the brass and metal objects turned a wet whitish look to them. This was due in part to high humidity levels, and way too much Ren Wax. If you don’t solve the humidity problems you run the high risk of more problems. It’s a good idea to do a search on the WAF on moisture problems. Ideal Humidity levels year round 43%-45% Relative Humitity-24/7-365.

Stu is correct brass will have a nice pitina weather stored in a dry area or slightly higher moister levels

[ralvarez]

wax

Thanks for the advice...I'll do the search on moisture and see what comes up. The object had a bit of verdigris (I hope I spelled that right ) which I have tried to take care of and it looks pretty good...I guess I was thinking the more protected the better to prevent any further issues...

A sincere thanks to you all for your input


Russell

[Paul R.]

Thanks for the advice...I'll do the search on moisture and see what comes up. The object had a bit of verdigris (I hope I spelled that right ) which I have tried to take care of and it looks pretty good...I guess I was thinking the more protected the better to prevent any further issues...

A sincere thanks to you all for your input


Russell

Russell,<O</O
There is a dizzying array of information on verdigris with countless heated arguments over this topic. As a museum conservator there has been research done on trying to stop this dreadful action. Most conservators will tell you not to do anything beside controlling the moisture problem.
Personally I do not endorse many of the actions because there no products that have a history on stopping verdigris permanently. For now there is no way to measure its possible side effects, because many of these products are new to the conservation field.
As a conservator if I tell you to use an unstudied product and it results in damaging your item. You would be tearing up the PM to give me a piece of you mind along with a lot of @#^* Do a WAF search to draw your own conclusion

[ralvarez]

Thank you sir...actually I did read through a great deal of the posts (on verdigris) following a search and I know what you mean...suggestions from doing nothing to sandblasting and everything in between
What I did was apply a very little bit of polish with a q-tip - cleaned it thoroughly with water and then used the softest brush I could find with a dremel - and thankfully I am very happy with the results. I'll take a nice pic of it for comparison purposes to watch for any advancement in the future...hopefully with a watch on the humidity it'll remain stable.

Again, thanks for taking the time Paul...as a relative newbie to this fine hobby I've gained a great deal of knowledge through searches on various topics from posts with your name on them...I can't thank you enough

Russell,<O</O
There is a dizzying array of information on verdigris with countless heated arguments over this topic. As a museum conservator there has been research done on trying to stop this dreadful action. Most conservators will tell you not to do anything beside controlling the moisture problem.
Personally I do not endorse many of the actions because there no products that have a history on stopping verdigris permanently. For now there is no way to measure its possible side effects, because many of these products are new to the conservation field.
As a conservator if I tell you to use an unstudied product and it results in damaging your item. You would be tearing up the PM to give me a piece of you mind along with a lot of @#^* Do a WAF search to draw your own conclusion