Can this CW Button be cleaned?

[Breezie]

Hey Good Folks, I was wondering if you think this CW New York button could be cleaned to show gilt all over like the sides? It has the typical reddish color, and I'm hoping there is gilt underneath or has the gilt been destroyed? All suggestions are welcomed, Breezie

 

[CRUSADER]

lemon juice

 

[Breezie]

lemon juice

Hey Cru, thanks for the speedy RSVP. Should I use straight lemon juice and soak it or scrub it? Breezie

 

[CRUSADER]

lemon juice

Hey Cru, thanks for the speedy RSVP. Should I use straight lemon juice and soak it or scrub it? Breezie

yes straight, some might say 50/50. 10 minutes soak, no scrub needed, then rinse & wipe under water. Repeat as needed

 

[Breezie]

Thanks!

 

[Iron Patch]

You will probably get the detail clearer, but I wouldn't expect much gilt. It will be trading the dark surface, for the redish brown one you can see parts of. But the design being clearer will be better, and probably won't take you long.

 

[thrillathahunt]

How about Aluminum Jelly?

 

[2country]

Use naval jelly . It works wonders on gilted buttons . After you're finished using it , you need to wash the button with dish detergent or baking soda/water to neutralize the acid . That button ought to clean up like new .

 

[vayank54]

IP is right on with what he said.

 

[2country]

My suggestion above is assuming that the button has the gilt below the "crud". If the gilt is gone , naval jelly will do more harm than good .

 

[Breezie]

Thanks everybody for the post and suggestions. I'm not sure if there is gilt below the crud or not, but will post pics whenever I get rid of company . . .don't people know I'm trying to clean buttons! LOL Breezie

 

[Iron Patch]

Thanks everybody for the post and suggestions. I'm not sure if there is gilt below the crud or not, but will post pics whenever I get rid of company . . .don't people know I'm trying to clean buttons! LOL Breezie

You might get spots of gilt but probaby not too much because the reddish brown spots is where it's gone, and they are at random over the face. (indicating heavy surface loss everywhere)

But I have been surprised before.

I had to add the "but.... because I just experienced a very strong case of deja vu that I would be eating my words. Pretty weird, but now I am curious to see it. I would still place a good bet there is very little gilt... but maybe my 6th button sense could be right! Really strange how strong the feeling was after I typed that.... as if we had already went though this before.

 

[Tnmountains]

I am voting no gilt but hope I am surprised as well. Nice button Breezie.

 

[Breezie]

To quote the lyrics of a B.B. King song: The Thrill Is Gone, and in this case, it's the gilt that is gone. I used Cru's suggestion of straight lemon juice, and it soaked longer than an hour; no change in the red crud, but cleaner. I then used clean lemon juice with some baking soda, then another batch with some salt added, but it was a 'no show.' IP, you were right, but it is such a nice button, it was worth the try. I have the back for it, but it is unattached. Would it be a no-no to glue it back on?

Thanks again ya'll for the posts and help, Breezie

 

[Iron Patch]

To quote the lyrics of a B.B. King song: The Thrill Is Gone, and in this case, it's the gilt that is gone. I used Cru's suggestion of straight lemon juice, and it soaked longer than an hour; no change in the red crud, but cleaner. I then used clean lemon juice with some baking soda, then another batch with some salt added, but it was a 'no show.' IP, you were right, but it is such a nice button, it was worth the try. I have the back for it, but it is unattached. Would it be a no-no to glue it back on?

Thanks again ya'll for the posts and help, Breezie

Well I was hoping my weird deja vu feeling was somehow going to work some magic, but after cleaning so many buttons (and it's a huge number) you know what to expect. That's why experience is the name of the game . That was a pretty easy one, but if the button had come out green and the patina looked pretty good, sometimes it's a very tough call, and even if there's 30% gilt and it's in random spots often times the right call would have been to leave it green. (most people can't resist cleaning) There is however a good trick, you soak the button in HP to remove the loose dirt, basically just the same as how people clean coppers, but when you take it out you don't use any water and set it aside to dry. (You don't use water before either) When it dries, the green, for the most part, will still be there.

Here is a button the Patriot found that was exactly the situation I describe above. Almost everyone who uses the jelly or lemon rolls the dice and get what they're left with. The HP lets you go half way (on the buttons that require it) , which lets you determine how much gilt is left. In this particular case his button did show slight gilt through some thick green, but was impossible to tell, but after the HP I knew there wasn't enough gilt to be nice, so I just let it dry and was done. Had I popped it in the lemon it would look pretty close to the one shown in this thread. (mostly black) Big difference huh? Ok there's some button cleaning 101 for ya.

 

[Silver Searcher]

Breezie you didn't store the Purple in the brain mode very long ...did ya


SS

 

[Breezie]

Breezie you didn't store the Purple in the brain mode very long ...did ya


SS

SS, huh? (I'm running on slow tonight; help me out)

 

[Breezie]

Breezie you didn't store the Purple in the brain mode very long ...did ya


SS

IP, good advice on the hydrogen Peroxide; I use it quite frequently on my relics for general cleaning, but didn't know about letting it dry withOUT washing it with water.