unmarked fritz zimmermann with removed patina

[Steinar]

this cross is discussed in the conservation part of the forum in a thread called
"Is it possible to restore the patina?"
url: http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=295460

Its a shame that someone can remove the dark nice patina from a nice cross like this, I really feel sad for this cross because I know this ek2 once had a beautiful patina...and now its almost gone.... look at the sides, and some patina is still on the frame/beading...

please:
NEVER REMOVE DARK PATINA FROM EK's

[Steinar]

2

[Steinar]

3

[Steinar]

last 1

[Steinar]

its actually not so easy to see the patina on the last pic, but its there

[tinmantis]

"NEVER REMOVE DARK PATINA FROM EK's"
amen brother
regards
jon

[WEISNER]

There are crosses on the e stand all the time that have been cleaned, Wiped, Gently cleaned etc... Very sad to remove the beautiful discoloration of time!
In my eyes it greatly removes from the value of an item!
Kevin

[AUSGANG]

Yeah, I learned the hard way too... Best to leave them alone! This one was beautifully patina'd but then I polished it up and suddenly realized that a shining denazzed award is a total contradiction! Maybe the LA smog will darken it up again!

[adlerfan53]

Some people actually prefer to remove the patina. I have many crosses with patina. For giggles I removed the patina on a '65. Doesn't look too bad if I do say so myself. In this hobby sometimes beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I believe if you paid for it you can do whatever you want to it. I agree it is a shame to ruin somthing of historical value....the only way to stop crosses from being cleaned is to buy all of them. Sometimes it's very difficult to fight the urge to clean somthing up. Like a piece just beckons you to clean it...have to put it away for awhile until the urge goes away.

[Flemming]

I would never polish or in other way remove patina from any of the things on my collection. It would be a shame in my eyes.

But what any other chooses to do is up to them, their collection and their money.

/Flemming

[Steinar]

sure the owner can do whatever he / she wants to with their crosses, polish and clean your cross, but dont sell it as mint/shiney, to get more for it...and its takin away something...history, characteristics etc.. My fritz zimmie cross got bits of patina left, and the 1mm thick sides god all the patina left.. its a s hame, I would also payed atleast 10 more euro for this cross if it was UNCLEANED.

[Steinar]

Its the heavy dark brown patina I love and wanna see. enough crosses are mint ish, shiney, cleaned etc...


I got a 27, it didnt have a dark patina, it had some grey ish ugly patina, really it was not nice. I took the chance, (that says a lot) I used JIF and warm water on a q tip and removed it carefully.

I really loved the result, it had a shiney-polished finish under this crappy patina, the cleaning didn't remove or damage anything..it went from a "boring" cross to a shiney nice cross.
Still after 3 months its nice and I love it, but i do not recommend this...I took a chance and got lucky, I was afraid to mess it up, but it had such a bad patina... maybe someone cleaned it a few years ago, might be, becasue this wasnt 65 years of patina getting cleaned off....


bottom line, be carfeful, if you mess up, its gone... "you do not know what u had before its gone" anyone heard that before lol, sorry im drinkin beer here and going out to meet the others in a bit, so expect some bad humor for a few more minutes

[Robert P.]

I just sent back a cleaned F. Zimm EKI. Had I have known this 'restoration' trick with the goose eggs I may have performed this science project and kept it.

Robert

[Steinar]

it might damage the badge as well... I guess we gotta practice and learn how to use this "trick"

im sory about your loss Robert

[Robert P.]

it might damage the badge as well... I guess we gotta practice and learn how to use this "trick"

im sory about your loss Robert

It's no problem, I have another - marked...

Robert