Cleaning our EKs

[streptile]

I know that most of us frown upon the practice of cleaning our Iron Crosses. Recently I decided to clean one of mine -- it is an absolutely beautiful cross, but it had what I considered to be ugly patina and wear. There was some sort of black crusted stuff that was unevenly applied all over, the front was splotchy, and the hardware attachments on the reverse had aged differently from the rest of the cross. Before I cleaned it I wasn't even sure the cross was made of silver.

Imperial headgear collectors routinely restore and clean helmets. Edged-weapon collectors do the same thing. Guns are cleaned, if not fully restored. Even enamel awards are cleaned. I'm interested in hearing your thoughts about why Iron Crosses ought to be different. After all, the patina on a 1914 EK has mostly built up in the 60+ years after the collectors' "stunde null" in 1945, or 90+ years if you consider 1918 to be the cut-off date. That usually means that the patina, dirt, and dust has accumulated while the cross sat in a collection, or a drawer -- not on the battlefield.

So, if the patina is not beautiful, why not clean our crosses?




Just a note: I have no intention of cleaning any more at the moment -- this is just an academic question . And I'm not talking about restoring (paint, etc), just cleaning.

[kriztof]

I clean a cross if I think it will suit the general appearance of the core.
If the core is stained, rusty, generally nasty looking then I give it a small clean as a shiny frame won't suit the core.
If the core is perfect then I will consider cleaning the frame, but not polishing it.

Some pieces look good, some beg to be cleaned, I think it's on an individual cross basis and personal preference. Dust & dirt are just that and must be eliminated

My grandfather cleaned his medals ritualistically as did/do other veterans that I know.
I intend for the medals in my care to be looking good well into the 22nd century for the future collectors or maybe I'll just have them buried with me

Chris

[rbminis]

I intend for the medals in my care to be looking good well into the 22nd century for the future collectors or maybe I'll just have them buried with me

Chris

Chris, that means you will have to be cremated as there will only be room in the coffin for your urn and your collection of crosses.

[Ammersee]

I think having one cleaned like it would have looked in 1918 is okay. Keep your grubby mitts off the rest of them, though. Gary

[streptile]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the posts .

What I'm really after is this:

Can someone explain why we don't clean our EKs?

If you yourself do not clean your EKs, you must have reasons. I'm curious to know what those reasons are? So let me put it another way.

Why don't you clean your EKs?

[redjames2004]

Dont clean them!

I never clean my German EKs both from WW1 and WW2! When I get EKs each time,I always put them into display cases. This applies to my non-German medals,too. Please dont clean the medals! Cleaning them will ruin its patina and kills its value in long run. Its my advice to fellow collectors. True for silver Morgan dollars and silver coins. Thanks,James

[streptile]

Hi James,

Nice to see you over here in Imperial.

Can I ask -- why don't you clean them?

[Scott Powell]

I dont clean mine for the simple reason i like how 90+ years of patina looks on my Imperial Medals. I would also be afraid of scratching them during the cleaning,or perhaps damaging the original finish.

[streptile]

i like how 90+ years of patina looks on my Imperial Medals.

That's the best reason there is, and the same reason I don't clean mine. I like how it looks.

So what would happen if you got one that you didn't like to patina on? Say, a beautifully designed and made, rare, silver EK1, with ugly patina and wear?

[Scott Powell]

That's the best reason there is, and the same reason I don't clean mine. I like how it looks.

So what would happen if you got one that you didn't like to patina on? Say, a beautifully designed and made, rare, silver EK1, with ugly patina and wear?

thats easy! i'd Pm YOU ,Don Doering and GregM and ask how the best way to remove the offending patina without damaging the original finish. i'd compare all three answers and go with the one that i felt was the safest.

in all seriousness, i have been lucky enough to NOT have to make this decision,by sheer good luck all of my EK's have come to me in pretty good shape.

[VtwinVince]

Patina is one thing, corrosion another. I have been known to use WD40 and a q-tip on some cores which are beyond hope.

[Biro]

....If you yourself do not clean your EKs, you must have reasons. I'm curious to know what those reasons are? So let me put it another way....Why don't you clean your EKs?

Cos it's woman's work....

[CSForrester]

If i discover dirt or dust on one of my decorations, doesnt matter if an Iron Cross or a Red-Eagle order, i remove it using handwarm water with one drop of an detergent and a smooth paintbrush. After that, i dry the decoration with soft paper tissues and warm air without polishing and without too much friction.
I never remove any oxydation of the metal, especialy the blackended silver should remain. The dark oxidation is a natural protection for the material.

Regards
Markus

[kriztof]

Cos it's woman's work....

I guess you didn't hear the story of the collectors wife who decided to "clean" those dirty old medals and ribbons. She put the medals in the dishwasher, actually they didn't look bad but the ribbons didn't fare too well in the washing machine. It was the first time I'd seen a medal bar without the ribbons on it

Gentlemen, please educate your companions on care & feeding of your awards

Chris

[streptile]

Cos it's woman's work....

If i discover dirt or dust on one of my decorations, doesnt matter if an Iron Cross or a Red-Eagle order, i remove it... I never remove any oxydation of the metal, especialy the blackended silver should remain. The dark oxidation is a natural protection for the material.

Hi Markus,

Thanks for your explanation. I always remove loose dirt and dust the same way. I had not thought about patina to the silver as a natural protection for the metal -- very interesting. I guess it just came down to a personal decision for me to clean and polish one of my EK1s, and I do think it looks better now.

About 10 years ago, when I began collecting, I cleaned an EK2 gently, and then dried it with a hairdryer on HIGH. It melted the solder and the cross came apart! Never again...

I guess you didn't hear the story of the collectors wife who decided to "clean" those dirty old medals and ribbons.

What a nightmare. Is that a true story?