Vacuum Bag Mineral Oil Soak Method

[Michigan Badger]

The very latest in coin/relic cleaning is the vacuum bag/mineral oil soak method. Those of us doing conservator work are very excited about it.

Basically you use those vacuum storage bags they make for compacting blankets and such to save storage space.

You place some mineral oil into the bag, drop in your coin, and seal it with a vacuum. The pressure inside the bag greatly speeds up the process.

We have discovered that the super cleaning oil for coins is mineral oil. Olive oil darkens the patina of a coin or relic and WD-40 is even worse. Water soak works well but tends to remove too much too fast thus revealing pits and removing too much patina. Lye works extremely well but like water soak it works too quickly and like olive oil it changes the natural color of the coin's patina. Electrolysis is only a last resort method that always destroys the aged patina and often gives an item that grainy/pitted look.

Yes, I do now believe mineral oil is going to be the trend for the early part of the 21st century.

Just thought maybe some of you might like to know what's happening.

Even just soaking an item in a jar of mineral oil is better than most other methods.

However, some items will still require more aggressive treatments.

[civilman1]

I'll try just about anything to get my piece's clean MB,Let me know what the oil does and maybe I'll give it a shot.Thank's

[Michigan Badger]

My personal tests have just begun so it will be months before I know myself. Those who invented the process swear by it.

We'll see.

Badger

[TXKajun]

OK. Now you've got me wondering......I have a food vacuum sealer and a couple of plastic attachments (small plastic jars) that sound like they would be perfect for use with mineral oil! Probably a lot stronger vacuum than the vacuum bags, too.

Now, if I only had some really nice, valuable coins that needed soaking and that I had found with my MD instead of nothing but clad. Oh well, someday! Anywho, maybe you could try that, Michican Badger??

HH, ya'll!

Kajun

[Michigan Badger]

Yes, the food sealer machines should work great. The more pressure the better.

The pressure drives the oil into the pores of the corrosion and metal. I'd say in theory it sounds very good to me.

At this time it's being used mainly by cleaners of ancient coins but it should work for our types of finds as well.

I've heard that mineral oil is wonderful. They say it leaves the relic with it's natural aged color. If this is true then this alone is a great discovery.

Badger

[Michigan Badger]

As of right now I would not try to clean your coins with mineral oil if they are worth anything. I have been experimenting with oils these past 6 months and do not like the long lasting effects no matter how "pretty" they look now. You never want to add another layer to your coin even if you believe or have been told that it protects it. Keep on working...

C

In my posts I was referring to soil impacted or severely corroded dug coins, not naturally toned coins.

I personally think toned coins should be left as they are (in most cases).

If a coin is dug all the original lustre is gone so some cleaning (within reason) may even make it better. Well, at least one will be able to see some detail.

The mineral oil (and all other oils and water soaks) is intended to remove enough surface corruption in order to discern detail, not make a coin look pretty.

HC

Badger