How to clean white crud on aluminum wire thread?

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear uniform guys,

Although this is a badge, I guess this question is best handled by you guys. Excuse me if this has been discussed before, I searched and could not find an appropriate thread dealing with this.

My question is: How to clean white crud on aluminum wire thread without damaging the structure?

Here is the badge on which this white powdery crud has built up:

Cheers, Frank

[Frank Heukemes]

close up of the problem

[Panzer]

Hallo Frank,
how are you? I hope life in your new place goes well?

On the cleaning.....you cannot. It is really basically impossible to clean this oxidisation off such tight bullion. The best you can aim for is to stop it going any further....maybe a forum member has a product or technique for that....but I think that cleaning this would lead to a disaster!

Cheers! Wade K.

[Chris_Werner]

I personally would leave it alone, as tampering can break and fray the wire. If you just can't live with it, a soft bristled toothbrush used judiciously will take off a lot of the oxidation. There is a good thread about this on this forum, or the "other one". I'd check it out before I did anything.
Nice, nice embroidered badge.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Frank, very rare badge. I have never seen one of these before?
I have read about this problem before and the concensus is nothing can be done to halt this oxidation once it has set in.
Cheers, Ade.

[Frank Heukemes]

Thanks, Wade, Chris & Ade!

Actually what you see in my pics is already the result AFTER using a soft toothbrush. I didn´t damage anything so far!

Chris, I was looking for that therad you mention, but couldn´t find it anymore. Any other solution ot proceed with this or to at least stop the oxydization?

Cheers, Frank

[Chris_Werner]

I think the thread was on the GD.com conservation forum, but I can't be sure.
You could go there and ask. I'm sure you'd get some good suggestions from their conservation expert. I've got a droop tail bullion breast eagle that did the same thing, but I opted to leave it alone to be on the safe side.

[Panzer]

Hello Ade & Frank,
hope you are both well?
My guess is that something is required to put on as a liquid or someting....to stop exposure to the air........Not sure what, but some kind of non-invasive seal is required. as ade says, probably on one of the conservation forums you will find something....maybe search the word 'oxidised' and it will appear.

I hope we have some snow in your part of the world Frank.....my wife and I will be passing taking in a could of days in Baden-Baden in late December......it always looks nice in the snow!

Cheers to you, Wade K.

[Chris Boonzaier]

I have always used WD40 on a Q-tip, but that may be a large task in this case.
All the best
Chris

[Frank Heukemes]

Thanks guys, I will try my skills very cautiously with that one and show you the result afterwards.

Wade, no snow here yet except for the coke on my badge! <sniff>

Cheers, Frank

[Wood]

WD 40 appears to stop this kind of oxidisation but it will turn all affected material grey!
Careful.
Regards,
Pete

[Dave Suter]

You are ahead. QUIT!

[Brian S]

You are ahead. QUIT!

Isn't the fear here that the white crud will continue to eat through the metal leaving only the cloth backing? Or does putting it in a moisture free environment stop it? Like fire needs oxygen to burn.

[Dave Suter]

I'm no chemical engineer, but I'm guessing moisture is indeed the culprit.