Beautifully cleaned up Infantry Button

[cjon455]

man that naval jelly is phenomenal!, thanks for the tip Dave!!
Before:

After:

Im gonna have fun making a lot of my finds look 10X better!!

 

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[WildWildBill]

The gold gilt on that button is amazing...but at the same time a lot of patina gone and some of the original finish. How did the back turn out?

 

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[46Wheat]

Very nice button ...all cleaned up and pretty

 

[cjon455]

thanks for all the compliments guys, I like the way this came out!

The gold gilt on that button is amazing...but at the same time a lot of patina gone and some of the original finish. How did the back turn out?

the back is brown, toasty, I just cant believe how shiny it got!

Awesome button. I have an Artillery button that i found that needs some naval jelly. I need to check that stuff out.

works wonders!, just cant leave it sit on your stuff too long, its corrosive

Man that's a good one! Does it still have the shank?

yep, still intact!

 

[parsonwalker]

Man, that's the prettiest outcome I've seen in a long time. And don't worry about patina if it still has gilt! Removal on BRASS or LEAD patina, big mistake. Gold? Don't know of anybody who would pay less for a clean gold piece. Demonstartes how much original finish left. I realize some people would rather have it green. To each his own . . . beautiful.

 

[cjon455]

Man, that's the prettiest outcome I've seen in a long time. And don't worry about patina if it still has gilt! Removal on BRASS or LEAD patina, big mistake. Gold? Don't know of anybody who would pay less for a clean gold piece. Demonstartes how much original finish left. I realize some people would rather have it green. To each his own . . . beautiful.

thanks a lot!, it likely decreased its value, but to me this sucker is priceless!, my favorite button to date!!

 

[sandchip]

Sweet looking button! Made the poor soldiers sitting ducks though.

 

[parsonwalker]

thanks a lot!, it likely decreased its value, but to me this sucker is priceless!, my favorite button to date!!

Don't mean to argue, but I really don't think you devalue a button if it cleans down to bright gold. You did right, and heck, it will DISPLAY beautifully. SHOULD be your fav. Not every day you find a button that age, in that kind of shape. Congrats again!

 

[BuckleBoy]

Great work! Would be thrilled if you'd post those before-after photos on my thread "How to Clean Buttons" in the Cleaning and Preservation section of the forum.

Cheers,

Buck

 

[Old Dude]

Great work! Would be thrilled if you'd post those before-after photos on my thread "How to Clean Buttons" in the Cleaning and Preservation section of the forum.

Cheers,

Buck

This is one GREAT thread BB is talking about if some of you have not read it. The entire thing is a good read, as a lot of questions are asked and observations from a lot of members are made.

 

[park pirate]

Nice job on the cleaning

 

[digging440yrs]

BEAUTY !

 

[Carolina Tom]

Very nice Cjon. That really did the trick! Good luck out there!

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Awesome button!

That is an impressive cleaning job! I will have to do a little experimenting with naval jelly.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Fantastic restoration and beautiful button recovery! Congratulations on both counts!

 

[Iron Patch]

Don't mean to argue, but I really don't think you devalue a button if it cleans down to bright gold. You did right, and heck, it will DISPLAY beautifully. SHOULD be your fav. Not every day you find a button that age, in that kind of shape. Congrats again!

I agree, and to me patina is only patina if there's no gold gilt or silver plate. When there is gold or silver it's corrosion and not patina, and in that case it's toning that you don't want to clean. Given the choice to take off the corrosion to have a button shine I'd do that a 100 times out of a 100, and if I was going to sell it, a 101 times out of 100! Just like coins, collectors, dealers, etc., say not to clean, it hurts the value, and that's because way too many people clean what should not be cleaned, or clean an item the wrong way.... just make no mistake you can sell your finds as dug, and the same buyer who says not to clean, is going to clean and sell them for more! In relics that's sort of the equivalent of cheating a grade or two, or three, in coins. I know just my own finds I have increased some by a lot by cleaning, a lot meaning four figures, so anyone who makes general statements that cleaning will devalue a coin or relic I can show otherwise for each with one quick post.

 

[WHADIFIND]

To clean, or not to clean--that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous opinions
Or to take arms against a sea of advices
And by opposing end them. To clean, to shine--
Ever more--and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to. 'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To clean, to shine--
To find--perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub,
But not with the grit of soil.For in that is certain
death of what dreams may come.

(with humblest apologies to the Bard)

 

[richardson]

Beautiful button. Really cleaned her up nice

 

[cris9937031]

Really nice cleanup.

 

[OBN]

Wow,Nice clean up!! And a nice catch!!

 

[metalev4]

Nice job, cleaned up beautifully. It was a perfect aluminum jelly candidate.