how to clean erkennunkmarke

[Zeller]

I will post a german dog tag, found in northern Italy. It needs a clean anyway,to read well the details.the disk seems to be aluminium,how do you suggest to clean it without damaging it? Thanks

[Gaspare]

everyone probaly has their own way..I used to just brush them off good and wash with warm water and a mild soap. Afterwards you really have to let them dry out good before you put them in a case..

I had a friend that used to put them in with a fizzing denture cleaner! They actually came out pretty good.

[Zeller]

Hi, I tried my best to clean it, but it is cracked and i didnt want to break it.
Here's the result.



I can read

STAMM KP
KRADSCH ERS BTL 4
54(9)
A

In bracket the parts i am not sure


Any further info about this motorcycle school?
Stamm stands for?

Thanks

[Frontalschaden]

Hello

You can perfectly clean zink dogtags with EDTA and aluminium tags with Oxal-acid.
Your dogtag from Kradschützen Ersatz Bataillon 4 is a zink made tag.

Stamm stands for Stammkompanie (Stock or tribe company ???)


Kradschützen-Ersatz-Bataillon 4

1. Aufstellung:

* 1.10.1941 in Stahnsdorf durch Umbenennung der Ersatz-Abteilung für motorisierte Aufklärungs-
Einheit 3; 25.9.1942 aufgespalten in Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Abteilung; 15.4.1943 wieder vereinigt
und umbenannt in Panzer-Aufklärungs-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Abteilung 4 Stahnsdorf.


2. Unterstellung:

Division 153, 15.5.1942 Division (motorisiert) 233, 10.8.1943 Kommandeur der Panzertruppen III



best regards

Fronti

[Zeller]

Hello

You can perfectly clean zink dogtags with EDTA and aluminium tags with Oxal-acid.
Your dogtag from Kradschützen Ersatz Bataillon 4 is a zink made tag.

Stamm stands for Stammkompanie (Stock or tribe company ???)


Kradschützen-Ersatz-Bataillon 4

1. Aufstellung:

* 1.10.1941 in Stahnsdorf durch Umbenennung der Ersatz-Abteilung für motorisierte Aufklärungs-
Einheit 3; 25.9.1942 aufgespalten in Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Abteilung; 15.4.1943 wieder vereinigt
und umbenannt in Panzer-Aufklärungs-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Abteilung 4 Stahnsdorf.


2. Unterstellung:

Division 153, 15.5.1942 Division (motorisiert) 233, 10.8.1943 Kommandeur der Panzertruppen III



best regards

Fronti

Hi Fronti,
thanks for your reply!
Just some quick questions :

1) what is EDTA ? Where to find oxal-acid?
2) Where was based this school? this EM is supposed to be found in northern italy

Viele Danke

BNE

[Frontalschaden]

Hello

It isn`t a school. It is a replacement unit for motorcyclists in a town called Stahnsdorf.

EDTA. In germany it is called: Dinatriumsalz der Edetinsäure. I don`t know the english word. I am not a chemist !

Oxal Acid and EDTA you can buy here:

http://www.restaurierung-und-mehr.de/


MfG Fronti

[Frontalschaden]

Stahnsdorf is in the east of Berlin-Babelsberg


MfG Fronti

[Matt L]

EDTA is Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid- it's a cation chelator- basically it absorbs ions like Na+, Ca++, Mg+, so would help clean off the metal salt deposits, etc. that can exist on the surface of ground-dug discs.

[Zeller]

Hello

It isn`t a school. It is a replacement unit for motorcyclists in a town called Stahnsdorf.

EDTA. In germany it is called: Dinatriumsalz der Edetinsäure. I don`t know the english word. I am not a chemist !

Oxal Acid and EDTA you can buy here:

http://www.restaurierung-und-mehr.de/


MfG Fronti

Hi Fronti, my german is basic (german kindergarten!) but I cannot find the contact address in the website to ask if the ship outside germany.

[Matt L]

I actually don't clean mine any more than washing them with warm water and soap using an old toothbrush, drying them well afterwards. Conservation as opposed to restoration- not doing anything that can't be reversed, and definitely not altering the piece from its present state except when something threatens its stability.

EDTA is used as a commercial cleaning agent, so it ought not to be too hard to find somewhere locally- you should be careful with it though as it's also used as a blood clotting inhibitor.

[Zeller]

I apply the same rule to helmets. I personally dont use any product to protect them from rust. But i give them a good clean and a manual restoration without altering the materials. The final touch is a thin layer of Ballistol oil (which i use for everything but dressing spaghetti)

Regarding EM, I seldom get them, for 2 reasons : I don't go digging where there may be mass graves (and if it will ever happens,I'll report the spot) and I am a bit reluctant in buying them because i do not want to support that kind of business (well,there are so many fakes around too)
That you know,besides WAST, is there any other organization in Germany to get in touch with?

Recently I got the chance to get a couple of them,in bad shape i would say (both posted) and I kept them.

What above stated its just my point of view,no offence meant to anyone collecting them.

Regarding EDTA - funnily,i see its merchandised here as a drug, against poisoning

[Matt L]

Right- it would treat heavy metal poisoning- it would be necessary to supplement a person's calcium level though as that's how EDTA inhibits clotting (calcium is vital for the clotting pathway to function).

[hoggtannlars]

Has anyone used acid to clean zink made tags.
I have heard that it si very effective on coins, but I do not know fore sure how it will work on a id tag.


Here is a link to how they do it on coins:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6679129_clean-zinc-coins.html


I got one tag that has been in the ground for many years and has many white spots that I can not wash of.

I have heard that someone slao use "white, acid free, vaselin (petrolatum). They say that it is effective, but that the zink will become darker afterwards.

[Frontalschaden]

Has anyone used acid to clean zink made tags.
I have heard that it si very effective on coins, but I do not know fore sure how it will work on a id tag.


Here is a link to how they do it on coins:

http://www.ehow.com/how_6679129_clean-zinc-coins.html


I got one tag that has been in the ground for many years and has many white spots that I can not wash of.

I have heard that someone slao use "white, acid free, vaselin (petrolatum). They say that it is effective, but that the zink will become darker afterwards.

Hello

Dont use normal acid !


For Zinc doctags use EDTA and foe Alu ones use Oxalsäure.


Zinc:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/EDTA

Alu:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalsäure



Best regards, Fronti