HELP!! What Should I Do!

[coinman123]

I found this pewter button in June 2014 and never cleaned it in fear of it falling apart. I just put it in a display case and left it as is. Today I looked at the front and saw what looked like detail of some kind. I also saw what looks like a raised edge. Could this be a Continental Army button!! How should I clean it, I have never tried?

Diameter: Around 17mm, give or take 1 or 2 due to corrosion.

 

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[huntsman53]

A lot of folks apparently use lemon juice. However, I have no idea as to how Pewter reacts to lemon juice, so I would say a long soak in Extra Virgin Olive Oil to loosen the packed dirt and debris stuck to the button's face or front. Once it has soaked for quite some time, it is likely that the dirt and debris can be easily removed with a Q-tip. I normally use green Rose Thorns on Copper coins as it will not scratch them but would not recommend using them on Pewter. If you have a Pewter piece that is heavily damaged and a scratch or two could not hurt it, then you might do a test of a green Rose Thorn on it. If it will not scratch the Pewter, then I believe it should be okay to use it on the button to remove the dirt and debris. I always keep Copper coins covered with the Extra Virgin Olive Oil when using a green Rose Thorn on them, just to keep them lubricated and it also helps to drain the removed dirt and debris away.


Frank

 

[coinman123]

 

[coinman123]

A lot of folks apparently use lemon juice. However, I have no idea as to how Pewter reacts to lemon juice, so I would say a long soak in Extra Virgin Olive Oil to loosen the packed dirt and debris stuck to the button's face or front. Once it has soaked for quite some time, it is likely that the dirt and debris can be easily removed with a Q-tip. I normally use green Rose Thorns on Copper coins as it will not scratch them but would not recommend using them on Pewter. If you have a Pewter piece that is heavily damaged and a scratch or two could not hurt it, then you might do a test of a green Rose Thorn on it. If it will not scratch the Pewter, then I believe it should be okay to use it on the button to remove the dirt and debris. I always keep Copper coins covered with the Extra Virgin Olive Oil when using a green Rose Thorn on them, just to keep them lubricated and it also helps to drain the removed dirt and debris away.


Frank

Thanks, I just put it in oil. Do you think it could be a Rev. War button?

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Man, what a conundrum.
I've previously told my "cleaning/tumbling/peroxide" failures. Be careful. You may have a keeper.
GL
Peace ✌

 

[coinman123]

Here is an olive oil photo, click on it for a big view.

 

[DigIron2]

Looks like there could be something on there to me.Thought I saw a eagles head.Of course my imagination can go on for ever staring at something like that.Gonna have to get it cleaned up.I have some ideas but I don't want to tell you anything wrong,i don't know about cleaning pewter.Best bet might be to go with hunts advice,but the olive oil method is a long haul.Do you have anything else that is pewter that has corrosion on it similar to that ,that you wouldn't care to experiment with?

 

[huntsman53]

Thanks, I just put it in oil. Do you think it could be a Rev. War button?

You would have to ask that question to the folks that know on here as I couldn't tell a Civil War button, from a War of 1812 button or from a Revolutionary War button! I just never got into it that much but I want to. There are a lot of Civil War relics around here but the only Revolutionary War relics would be some that were lost by Veterans of that War that received land grants due to their' service or due to them migrating to Tennessee. If I knew where the site was that my Great Great Great Great Great Grandfather, Francis Winstead lived in Hawkins County Tennessee after moving to Tennessee which was after his Dad passed after the Revolutionary War, I would try to get permission to search the land there. He was a First Sergeant and Minuteman in the Revolutionary War and he and his' Troops patrolled and guarded Cherry Point from British Troop landings.

If the Olive Oil is going to do anything for the button, it would need to soak for several weeks or several months. When I put copper coins in Olive Oil, I leave them in a week, then flip them over and check them in another week. Some take weeks while others take months to loosen the dirt, debris, grime and/or corrosion on them. Iron Patch and a few others are knowledgeable about what works best on buttons and probably know what is best to use on Pewter buttons. Even if Extra Virgin Olive Oil does not do the job, it should not hurt the button in any way!


Frank

 

[ironhorse]

The corrosion on your button looks quite severe, if cleaned off the remaining details would be wiped out since the detail appears to be in the corrosion only. As for value, it would be negated by cleaning or be equal to what it might be uncleaned, basically not much. Looking at the back, based on its construction, it doesn't look like a military style; I may be corrected on this but I wouldn't get my hopes on effectively cleaning it and getting a good result from it.

 

[coinman123]

Here is a better photos.



This is the kind of corrosion you would expect on pewter buttons like this
(NOT MY BUTTON)!!!!!

 

[coinman123]

What do you think?

View attachment 1123551

 

[ironhorse]

The only effective cleaning treatment of pewter buttons I've heard of has never been peroxide, any oil, or chemical; always physical, toothpick/bamboo skewer or brass wire bristle brush (similar to BBQ brush only smaller, tool/parts cleaning)

 

[coinman123]

The only effective cleaning treatment of pewter buttons I've heard of has never been peroxide, any oil, or chemical; always physical, toothpick/bamboo skewer or brass wire bristle brush (similar to BBQ brush only smaller, tool/parts cleaning)

I'm scared that if I remove the crust any details will be gone. The button feels like it will crumble in my hand if I even look at it wrong. Any advice on what to do in this circumstance?

Does it even look like anything or is it my eyes playing tricks on me? I see way more "detail" in hand though.

Thanks, Coinman123

 

[ironhorse]

I'm scared that if I remove the crust any details will be gone. The button feels like it will crumble in my hand if I even look at it wrong. Any advice on what to do in this circumstance?

Does it even look like anything or is it my eyes playing tricks on me? I see way more "detail" in hand though.

Thanks, Coinman123

Like I said earlier, all the details are in the corrosion and removing it will eradicate anything remaining

I don't see anything definitive, I'm not saying there isn't anything there, I just can't pick out a design that I know, you may have to wait for someone else to say they see something they identify

I know what you're saying, long buried pewter is delicate and just may turn to dust, I have many in a similar state, and fear they will crumble away if I did anything to them, which is why I won't, but that's just the way the pewter cookie crumbles!

 

[DigIron2]

if it is that delicate I would just try the olive oil method,again like hunt said if nothing else, it shouldn't hurt it.Just takes time.

 

[coinman123]

It is in olive oil and will be for awhile I hope I can get detail.