Care & Cleaning tips needed

[sub]

I've searched the forums but couldn't find what I was looking for.

I have just received as a gift my grandfathers ww2 medals, consisting of the EK 1st and 2nd class, a black and a gold wound badge, the blockade breakers badge and the Africa Campaign medallion. Some of the pieces have some dark buildup on them, especially the Africa Campaign medallion. I would appreciate any tips and tricks on cleaning these items without damaging the underlying finish. I would like these pieces to last so that one day I can pass them along to my kids.

Thanks! sub

[Frank Heukemes]

Hi sub,

There are two reasonable schools among collectors. One says "do not ever clean anything, just leave it like it is", the other is "clean away grime and dirt, but never change anything about the award that won´t come back".

Cleaning according to the second school requires much, much caution and experience. You can easily ruin a good finish. If you have to do something about your items, use a soft old and used toothbrush and clean your badge with very soft strokes under lukewarm water. If the grime doesn´t come off this way use some non-acid soap on the toothbrush.

Make sure to dry badges thoroughly after "bathing" them. Your Iron Crosses need some extra drying. Water will be trapped under the inner iron core. Use a hair dryer on your badge until it warms up and continue for some minutes but do not hold it too close to the hair dryer.

Zinkpest (white blooming crusts) can be treated and improved to some degree with vaseline. Leave vaseline on badge over night.

Rust on Iron is in my opinion best removed with WD-40 or any non acid oil. You´ll find this in gun stores e.g.

Green grimy stuff on bronze items can be removed with vinegar. Do not leave overnight in vinegar. Watch the badge while doing this!

It is up to everybody´s taste how to treat items made of true silver (marked 800 and up). But even if you decide to clean, do not use silver paste on such a badge and rub in in with a cloth. This can easily scratch the soft silver item. Even dipping it in silver bath is better than that. Most collectors leave silver items as they are. But if you want to pass them on to your kids, it will be up to your taste. Just be aware that cleaned silver items do not sell as well as untouched ones. Silver patina will in most circumstances reappear after months to some very light degree, but sometimes this takes many years or even decades until it becomes very dark again.

Cheers, Frank H.

[sub]

Frank, thanks so much for the tips. I have very little experience in cleaning metals, and as such I will simply leave them be. I will post some pictures this evening.

-sub