Cleaning a mint IC1

[VonLuger]

Yes I've heard the argument of clean or not to clean...but what if you just want to preserve the cross in the same condition you received it in..the silver edging is discoloring/weathering/oxidizing? from its once very shiney appearence-I would just like to clean that up... core and beading still mint looking and I dont want to touch that part nor use a cleaner to ruin the cross--what do you use to preserve your crosses in there orginal mint condition that you received them in? Thanks for any thoughts

[ChrisJ]

Preservation

...the most effective thing to do is not to handle mint pieces without wearing white jewelers gloves.
(If you need some I can send you a pack).

[mads]

Not to be rude or anything, but can i also buy a pack of those from you chris?

[dphillipsd]

I got a cleaned EK1 MM20 from Deltev......Great condition and was cleaned well, although cleaning isnt always successful! By the way Chris were do you get such gloves from, would like a pair very much!

Thanks!

[ChrisJ]

Gloves

We get white gloves in packs of ten pairs out here in S Korea. I've used them for years and they are great provided that you dont have extra large sized hands.
They come out at around 25 US for a pack...
anyone wanting these drop me an e-mail with postal address (you can pay by PayPal)

[Robert P.]

Hello, folks.
I bought an EKl from a dealer that was cleaned with 'tarn-X'. I didn't have this knowledge until I e-mailed him to ask how to clean this EKl after it had dulled. He told me to just use tarn-X once in awhile when the silver shine left the rims. I believe this product will eventually remove and possibly permanently damage the finish of the cross. I am very frustrated with what this dealer had done. He preserved the piece to it's mint condition in order to sell it at the inflated price. I no longer buy from this dealer. He also uses very sophisticated computer photo software to enhance the appearance of his wares. When the purchased item comes in the mail, it is far from what the photo represented. You all may know who I am speaking of. I have just given up working with him. He's all the time telling me not to 'mess' with the condition of the pieces, and he's the one doing this very thing! Back to the point; I would say to avoid using any chemical cleaners such as this tarn-X. It can have only adverse effects on the finish of any badge or medal. Once the piece is cleaned you are stuck with what you have done to it. It's irreversible. There is a lot to be said for using very mild soap and a soft toothbrush to remove any grime or dirt that is detectable under a 10X loop. Navel jelly is very good to check rust, corrosion or green crud? on a piece. There are some very good non-abrasive silver polishes today that can restore the high silver content medals, etc. to their original high-polished luster. They can be found by talking with anyone who cleans fine antique silverware. And the ingredients WILL NOT hurt the metal or finish when applied properly. I can supply this info for you if you like. Just e-mail me at: rcpljp@aol.com. The same private company makes a rinse that actually can add tarnish to the piece without any ill effects to the silver whatsoever. So you can use their products safely to restore or age a piece. Speaking for myself, I like to leave the piece in it's 'aged' condition, although I will give them a cleaning with mild soap if they really need it. A funny thing..I've had a couple of members comment on the dirty condition my newly received badges were in after I posted them here for review. It's funny what shows up when magnified past what the naked eye can see.
I need to go clean those pieces right now.

Robert

Here's the name and phone number of the silver polish I mentioned above. It is the finest silver polish available today.
Hagerty's Silversmith
1. Polish
2. semi-liquid wash
1-800-737-5223
They also sell what they call 'silversmith gloves'. These gloves are impregnated with their polish and do a fantastic job to silver.
Amway also sells a mild polish called Amway 'metal cleaner'. It is for cleaning stainless steel, copper and solid brass. It is non-toxic. They call this their ultimate alternative to mild soap.
One thing to remember, 'German Silver' is a mixture of copper, nickel and zinc. Most, if not all, cleaners that are bought off the shelf of the hardware store contain chemicals that may attack one or more of these metals.

[Adrian]

I received 2 crosses in the post yesterday, a 2nd class in stone cold mint and a 1st class in almost mint.
I didn`t touch the 2nd class but the 1st class needed a bit of a clean so I used the soapy water and soft toothbrush method and just cleaned the frame using a circular motion, rinsed it, dried it on a soft towel and then blow dried it.
The dirt is gone, the frame shines again and the frosting stands out nicely and is clean!
I agree with the others about handling. I don`t have any gloves so all my crosses live in those plastic medal sleeves where I can look but not touch!
I would not risk using any cleaners on crosses which still have frosting.

Best regards,
Adrian.