Verdigris

[Sebastien T]

Hello collectors,

I wondering if there a way to remove few dot of verdigris on a badge without use a chemical product or damage the badge itself.

Thank you

[Matthew]

olive oil

try virgin olive oil- that should help without any negative side effects.
cheers
Matt

[pete]

.

As I read and saw on another forum Vinegar works (also the olive oil), but as it is an acid you have to dip or swab it with a Q-tip, even then easy because it can even scratch metal by rubbing hard and then rinse it within about maximum 15-20 seconds then either just use soap and water or use silverdip/silver foam without anything abrasive as a cloth. I have used the vinegar method two times to clean a 1914 and a 1914-15 star but only when there is verdigris that is over time going to do damage. Thats the only time i ever clean a Medal apart from soap and water, even then you have to be carefull as you can remove some nice patina, also only dirt but your choice. I love patina. Others may dissagree but also whenever i see a Medal with the remains of Brasso on it, I also clean it because it's probabaly that someone in recent years has cleaned it and brasso is bad. Some people also never clean anything period, it's up to you, but I like to think that we should be conserving items for the future, we are only caretakers. So, if there is enough verdigris or corrosion or whatever it is going to get worse and degrade the metal in the future and personally I like to think in the case of Medals at least that conserving it then is only respect to the original recipient.

Pete

[Paul R.]

You may want to do a WAF site search on this topic. It’s been a hot topic of a debate for many collectors and in the field of conservation. Most home remedies are only temporary. Zinc pest will not be stopped forever with any of the home remedies. It’s a breakdown of the mixtures of impurities in the material used in manufacturing of zinc medals. Do your own research and draw your own conclusions.

[Sebastien T]

Thanks guys

[o.r.k.]

decay and verdigris

I learnt a lot reading many of your postings about conservation. Finally I decided to preserve my buckles and badges and not let them get eaten away by time. I believe as a collector you should always venture to conserve the artefacts as best as you can with as little intrusion as possible. A very gentle method I believe is using resin and acid free sewing machine oil for cleaning (gentle rub with a microfibre cloth) and after some days taking it off with the same kind of cloth and applying Ren-wax. I cleared most of the verdigris, stopped rust and gave it an aesthetic coating that prevents moisture, finger acids, rust, etc. It is lucent and the layer of microcristalline non-organic wax is thin enough not to obscure details. The stuff looks better and you feel better that it is safe in the showcase. It works well with leather, too and I can´t think of anything better- (well, when applying it smells not very good, but the odour leaves after a few hours) . Q-tips as a tool are quite handy to spread the oil and later the wax thoroughly.