Restoring a medal bar

[Don D.]

This is my summer project- brining this bar back to its former glory. What would be the best, safest way to clean this bar. The ribbons are dirty, dusty etc... I don't want to use a cleanser that will make the ribbons glow under blacklight.

[Kraal]

Maybe simply put into some water with common soap, use a teeth brush to make them somehow cleaner and then dry it with an hair dryer? Just dry it for some longer time, to make sure nothing remains wet (->rust on the metalboard).

Put some Balistol onto the orders, done.

[Paul R.]

Maybe simply put into some water with common soap, use a teeth brush to make them somehow cleaner and then dry it with an hair dryer? Just dry it for some longer time, to make sure nothing remains wet (->rust on the metalboard).

Put some Balistol onto the orders, done.

From a 3-D conservation point of view I would be very careful in what soap I would use on any old artifact. Newer soaps on the market today will cause the older ribbon to glow. I would not use any type of tooth brush or soak the old ribbon in water. Ribbons are fragile and can separate or tear during a brushing action. Using any metal polisher can remove traces of the silver or gold wash on the medals. Balistol is a harsh cleaner. I would not use any high heat from a hair drier which can cause premeditate curling of the ribbon.
I you still want to clean this ribbon bar. The only method that I would use is a soap product called Orvis. Orvis is a PH neutral soap. It will not cause something to glow. I would place about a finger tip of Orvis soap in very Luke warm water in small clean dish. Using cotton Q-tip lightly clean over the ribbon applying the solution on the ribbon moving the direction from a side to side light cleaning. Then rinse the ribbon in a cool water flow until the soap is gone. Dry by using a fan with no added heat, or better yet do nothing at all to be safe.

Of course these are you items to do with whatever you see fit.

[C. Roelens]

I wondered who snagged that bar so quick... congrats Don.

Chuck

[VonPeter]

Any updates on this project?
It´s been 1½ month and the summer is over now, so i assume that the bar has been restored to its former glory.

[Don D.]

I've been travelling most of the summer for work. This will be a winter project.

[Don D.]

Finally done. It took a while to find the Albrechtkreuz. I washed the bar gentley with plain luke warm water.

[VonPeter]

Very nice

[Tim B.]

Congrats Don,

I personally wouldn't have taken the chance as I've seen ribbons fade and bleed with just plain water and a little rubbing and in some cases, part altogether, so you did well.

Tim

[Paul R.]

Congrads Don. It looks a lot better. Just using water still gave it a nice look.

[Rommel1933]

Very cool! great looking medal bar!

Thank you, Scott