Originally posted by Tiger 1
Gentlemen,
Excuse me for my momentary fight of fancy. I was just having s ome fun.
With any attempt at meaningful conservation we must first access the problem and then apply the minimum remedy necessary to correct it. It is always better to go very slow and progressively up the effort needed to clean something while keeping a close eye on your progress than to try to fix an avoidable problem that usually happens when too aggressive of a method is used at the start. If you are not sure of your skills or confidence at doing this then the prudent course it not to or have someone who is familiar do it for you.
In the case of Indy's EKI the problem was basically a surface problem that was caught early on. The rust was not to the point of seriously bitting the host metal and becoming corrosion. It was basically a surface 'bloom'. There was no reason to use a more aggressive method to solve the problem. I did not choose to boil the rust as it had not taken hold in the core metal. It was easily removed and didn't need to be converted thru boiling. Here's where experience dictates a prudent course of action.
What I did was use a VERY soft worn tooth brush and some warm water and Ivory brand soap. I happen to like Ivory soap because it is 99% pure and generally ph neutral. It also rinses from the surface without leaving a residue.
After making sure that the painted surface was sound I carefully wetted the cross and GENTLY washed it with a wet toothbrush loaded up a bit with soap. The soap not only removes the grime and loose rust it also acts as a lubricant to float the crud and to prevent scratching. In regards to scratching, both the cross and the brush were rinsed clean several times during the wash to prevent the loosened rust from acting as an abrasive. Checking progress as I was going along I quit when the rust was removed. Nothing is gained by overworking the surface. You will not bring it back to new, nor do we want to.
After a thorough rinsing with hot water, the cross was shaken in several directions to remove as much trapped water from inside the frame. Complete the drying with a hairdryer. Shake again to be sure there is no further moisture trapped in the frame. Repeat as offen as necessary to completely dry.
Further prevention included a wax to lightly seal the clean surface. I happen to like Birchwood Casey Gun wax. It is a combination of waxes including a bee's wax and silicone. It is also easily removalbe if needed.
I haven't had any problems with this method of conservation WHEN needed. Many times nothing is needed and it is best to leave a valued collectable alone and not try to 'improve' it. Always keep in mind that anything done to the surface of a medal moves it just that much farther away from original condition. Original condition is like virginity.....Once gone you will never get it back!
I hope this helps with understanding some steps that can be used , when necessary, in preserving a valued collectable.
All the best,
Tony
Excuse me for my momentary fight of fancy. I was just having s ome fun.
With any attempt at meaningful conservation we must first access the problem and then apply the minimum remedy necessary to correct it. It is always better to go very slow and progressively up the effort needed to clean something while keeping a close eye on your progress than to try to fix an avoidable problem that usually happens when too aggressive of a method is used at the start. If you are not sure of your skills or confidence at doing this then the prudent course it not to or have someone who is familiar do it for you.
In the case of Indy's EKI the problem was basically a surface problem that was caught early on. The rust was not to the point of seriously bitting the host metal and becoming corrosion. It was basically a surface 'bloom'. There was no reason to use a more aggressive method to solve the problem. I did not choose to boil the rust as it had not taken hold in the core metal. It was easily removed and didn't need to be converted thru boiling. Here's where experience dictates a prudent course of action.
What I did was use a VERY soft worn tooth brush and some warm water and Ivory brand soap. I happen to like Ivory soap because it is 99% pure and generally ph neutral. It also rinses from the surface without leaving a residue.
After making sure that the painted surface was sound I carefully wetted the cross and GENTLY washed it with a wet toothbrush loaded up a bit with soap. The soap not only removes the grime and loose rust it also acts as a lubricant to float the crud and to prevent scratching. In regards to scratching, both the cross and the brush were rinsed clean several times during the wash to prevent the loosened rust from acting as an abrasive. Checking progress as I was going along I quit when the rust was removed. Nothing is gained by overworking the surface. You will not bring it back to new, nor do we want to.
After a thorough rinsing with hot water, the cross was shaken in several directions to remove as much trapped water from inside the frame. Complete the drying with a hairdryer. Shake again to be sure there is no further moisture trapped in the frame. Repeat as offen as necessary to completely dry.
Further prevention included a wax to lightly seal the clean surface. I happen to like Birchwood Casey Gun wax. It is a combination of waxes including a bee's wax and silicone. It is also easily removalbe if needed.
I haven't had any problems with this method of conservation WHEN needed. Many times nothing is needed and it is best to leave a valued collectable alone and not try to 'improve' it. Always keep in mind that anything done to the surface of a medal moves it just that much farther away from original condition. Original condition is like virginity.....Once gone you will never get it back!
I hope this helps with understanding some steps that can be used , when necessary, in preserving a valued collectable.
All the best,
Tony
greatings
Edgar
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