How to Clean Buttons

[woody50]

Great post Buckleboy! I really enjoyed reading it all and will try it soon on some of my million buttons!
I need to know your peroxide method, but I asked you that in another message.

What I would like to know now is what is Aluminum Jelly or Naval Jelly?
I guess those are products you can buy in the USA, maybe I could find them here if I have more information. Are their brands that I should look for?

 

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[BuckleBoy]

Great post Buckleboy! I really enjoyed reading it all and will try it soon on some of my million buttons!
I need to know your peroxide method, but I asked you that in another message.

What I would like to know now is what is Aluminum Jelly or Naval Jelly?
I guess those are products you can buy in the USA, maybe I could find them here if I have more information. Are their brands that I should look for?

A brand of Aluminum Jelly is "Duro" and it is a gel that contains Phosphoric acid. (I'm not sure what percent concentration...)



I hope this helps,



Buckleboy

 

[woody50]

Great post Buckleboy! I really enjoyed reading it all and will try it soon on some of my million buttons!
I need to know your peroxide method, but I asked you that in another message.

What I would like to know now is what is Aluminum Jelly or Naval Jelly?
I guess those are products you can buy in the USA, maybe I could find them here if I have more information. Are their brands that I should look for?

A brand of Aluminum Jelly is "Duro" and it is a gel that contains Phosphoric acid. (I'm not sure what percent concentration...)

I hope this helps,
Buckleboy

Thanks for the info, will look around, if I can't find it my relatives in the USA will send it to me....

 

[BuckleBoy]

Here is another example of cleaning a gilded button with Aluminum Jelly. I may do a video and post it on this thread in the future.



Before:




After:




Regards,


Buckleboy

 

[ModernMiner]

Here is another example of cleaning a gilded button with Aluminum Jelly. I may do a video and post it on this thread in the future.



Before:





After:





Regards,


Buckleboy

Dang BB. That button came out great.
You sure this wasn't you back in the 80's?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0iYrJwqNrM
-MM-

 

[BuckleBoy]

Dang BB. That button came out great.
You sure this wasn't you back in the 80's?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0iYrJwqNrM
-MM-

LOL, MM!


You got me. I'm really using Tarn-X, but telling y'all to go through hours of painstaking work to get those buttons looking nice.

I feel like I've been cleaning KY state seal buttons for Weeks now. :P And still not done, but getting there. Which reminds me--I have a post to make tonight.


Best Wishes,


Buckles

 

[phantomfinder]

SWEET .... Thanks for the tips , it will help alot... WTG .

 

[ohannos]

Great post! Now bookmarked. Thanks

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

I finally made it to the hardware store and purchased some aluminum jelly. It works great on silver plated buttons too!!

Here is a mid to late 19th century plated button I found in August. This one had most of the plating remaining. I think I overdid it a bit on the button back. I tried it with a Qtip to reach the recessed back and it may not be a good idea. The picture of the front does not do it justice!!

 

[BuckleBoy]

Nice work, Neil!

Excellent job on the front of that button! Did you use toothpick on the front and Q-tip on the back? Cause if so, then the Q-tip was what took off a bit of the gold on the back, not the jelly. It won't react with the gold. But overall, a Fantastic job--and a nice display item now. (I love a good button display. Seeing that GOLD and SILVER glimmering in the case 8) )


Regards,


Buckles

 

[West Jersey Detecting]

Nice work, Neil!

Excellent job on the front of that button! Did you use toothpick on the front and Q-tip on the back? Cause if so, then the Q-tip was what took off a bit of the gold on the back, not the jelly. It won't react with the gold. But overall, a Fantastic job--and a nice display item now. (I love a good button display. Seeing that GOLD and SILVER glimmering in the case 8) )


Regards,


Buckles

I did use a Qtip on the front as well as the back, but I barely had to touch the front of the button. The dirt came loose very easily. I don't recommend leaving the jelly on for longer than a minute. I may have left it on for as long as 2 minutes on the back, which may have been the problem.

I agree that this will make a nice display piece now!

 

[Mike_of_Tenn]

Thanks BB,

I am going to try a toothpick on mine tonight, just gonna go slow and easy on her. I will post the results for you. Again thanks for all the help you have given me in the past few weeks. Maybe sometime we'll get to hunt together. We are not that far from each other.

Mike

 

[detector de metales]

Amazing Buttons!
Thanks Buckleboy for sharing your knowledge with the group, fantastic instructions and nice presentation!
Now if I could only find some buttons here in Wisconsin...
LOL

J2

 

[BuckleBoy]

Amazing Buttons!
Thanks Buckleboy for sharing your knowledge with the group, fantastic instructions and nice presentation!
Now if I could only find some buttons here in Wisconsin...
LOL

J2

Just hunt with low enough discrimination settings, and the buttons will come.

Best wishes to you in 2009--and thanks to Everyone for the kind replies.


-Buckles

 

[catskillcomics]

Buckleboy, this is very informative.. thanks for the cleaning tips.. you could start a services business to clean/restore other peoples buttons.. You'll have to change your name to ButtonBoy thanks again!

 

[BuckleBoy]

Buckleboy, this is very informative.. thanks for the cleaning tips.. you could start a services business to clean/restore other peoples buttons.. You'll have to change your name to ButtonBoy thanks again!

ButtonBoy LOL! I don't think I'd want the Liability of cleaning others' buttons.

Thanks for the reply, my friend.

 

[dragon6banger]

BuckleBoy you do some great work on all your buttons i think you should make a video or just let me send you my buttons either way that works best for you.. well keep up the great work and i'm looking forward to the day you make it down here to Nc to hunt with us

 

[BuckleBoy]

BuckleBoy you do some great work on all your buttons i think you should make a video or just let me send you my buttons either way that works best for you.. well keep up the great work and i'm looking forward to the day you make it down here to Nc to hunt with us

One day, my friend.


Drop me a line anytime.



-Buckles

 

[Tnmountains]

Wow Buckleboy
I am running to my cabinet now collcting buttons and tooth picks ! I will try the alum jelly on a couple that I also thought were to far gone.Thanks for taking the time to educate.
Regards,
TnMountains

 

[BuckleBoy]

Wow Buckleboy
I am running to my cabinet now collcting buttons and tooth picks ! I will try the alum jelly on a couple that I also thought were to far gone.Thanks for taking the time to educate.
Regards,
TnMountains

Cool! Keep in mind that if you've washed them first with water, the toothpicking won't yield as good results. Toothpicking keeps the dirt in the recessed parts so that you can read the designs and backmarks. Likewise, if you wet the button or scrub it with water and a toothbrush after toothpicking, the backmark will disappear.


Keep me posted--I'd love to know how they turn out.



Best Wishes,


Buckles