How to preserve

[Joe hunter]

What is the best way to preserve my SNY buckle thanks

 

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[Dug]

If it was mine I would bake it at about 250 degrees in the oven for at least 20 minutes then pull it out and rub it with Microcrystalline wax while it is still hot so the wax will soak in. Afterwards display and store it in a humidity controlled environment so the iron oxidation does not reactivate.

The melting point of lead is 327 degrees so you do not want to get it too hot, ergo 250 degrees should be good.

 

[Joe hunter]

Is Renaissance wax the same thing ?And would that method be recommended for other finds such as buttons,rosettes,and is my hutch with the door closed humidity controlled enough .should I retreat over time?Thank you for your time.

 

[FFFPatriot]

You could sandwich that buckle between two Twinkies and stick it in a Food Saver bag with an oxygen absorber and put the bag in a coffee can of melted wax and then put it in a 5 gallon bucket of concrete.
Once the concrete cures (about a month), that baby should be preserved indefinitely.

 

[Joe hunter]

You could sandwich that buckle between two Twinkies and stick it in a Food Saver bag with an oxygen absorber and put the bag in a coffee can of melted wax and then put it in a 5 gallon bucket of concrete.
Once the concrete cures (about a month), that baby should be preserved indefinitely.

All sounds about right except the twinkies .That whole lethal weapon scene is true about the Twinkies ,the food would eventually break down even with the preservatives.

 

[Dug]

The Renaissance is a microcrystalline wax and I use that for buttons and delicate items. I buy the microcrystalline wax in blocks off Ebay and melt it in to get better penetration. Microcrystalline wax is harder than bees wax or regular wax and has a higher melt temp also. I picked up the preserving tip from two different museums.

If your hutch is in your house you should be fine, but if it is in your garage or porch then you may have issues. You should not need to re-treat but keep an eye on the iron points as that is the most unstable part of the plate.

 

[FFFPatriot]

On a serious note. I would probably get a hold of an artifacts museum and find out what they use. ( Liquid Twinkies could be the secret ingredient) Lol!

 

[Joe hunter]

I'm ordering the wax today,and yes my hutch is in my living room.Thanks for the responses your help is greatly appreciated.