relicmeister
Bronze Member
- Jul 26, 2012
- 2,215
- 2,141
- Detector(s) used
- XP Orx Deus II, 9” coil
- Primary Interest:
- Relic Hunting
Since I started metal detecting for relics a year ago I've accumulated enough iron relics to fill my half of a room my wife and I use for hobby stuff.
Due to the number of relics I find I needed a process that would be efficient, but give good results. I like to process my finds as soon as possible
mainly because I want to get a good look at what I;ve found because it's often not apparent because of the rust and dirt crust. So I start by
knocking-off as much encrusted corrosion and dirt using a small hammer, small putty knife, coarse file and pliers, flat-head screwdriver and handheld wirebrush.
After that, I might use a bench-top wire-wheel. Then I use soap and hot water and scrub-brush and dry the parts. I have an electrolysis set up but I don't use it as often as I thought I would, but it certainly has its use on more delicate items, or parts with complex surfaces. For items that
I think are rare, valuable or delicate I can take them to work and use our sandblaster( but not for removing a lot of rust cause my boss gets mad
if I turn the sand media reddish.)
I also will soak parts in apple cider vinegar (ACV) for a few days-especially hard to clean, super corroded parts. It works well, but I really dislike the odor after the ACV is rust-laden, and you must use rubber gloves to scrub-wash the parts in the sink or your skin will get stained very badly and will be almost impossible to get clean again.
After manually cleaning and de-rusting, the next step is to bake the relics ( I use a toaster-oven) and wearing gloves, I brush on ordinary lard
(Crisco) and set them aside to cool. When still warm I use cotton rags to rub off the excess lard and loosened rust from the baking. When done the relics will have a nice, chocolate brown color, and any remaining rust will be hardly noticeable.
Until recently, the relics would at this point be ready for displaying. However, after a while (weeks to months) I noticed that many ( but not all)
of the restored relics would have new rust and flakes coming off them. This is of course undesirable and unacceptable.
So I began to one by one inspect each relic for signs of new rust and flaking. I then gather together a number of them and remove any new
rust or loose particles using wirebrush, or wirewheel. I may also scrub them in hot water and soap, rinse and dry them. Finally, they each get
a healthy coating of clear (glossy) lacquer which comes in an aerosol spray can. The parts will be dry enough to handle in under an hour, and
will look essentially the same except for the fact that they will save a slight satin sheen which I find attractive. Also, the relics will feel nice and nothing like rusty residue will rub off when handled. Most importantly, they will now be fully preserved and you won't have to worry about rust anymore. I'm sure brush-on lacquer could be used, but it would take longer, and longer to dry too. Up to each person which to use,
I'm sure there will be some who disagree with some of my method, but it's right for me. It is quick and efficient, and the end result is more than satisfactory. I can keep up with restoration and preservation regardless of how much I find and take home, and I can add finds to my collection within days. Since I MD almost every day, I have a bucket that I put finds in that I don't have time to clean immediately-but they don't sit for long.
BTW, ACV, Lard, and spray lacquer are all rather inexpensive. I'm sure there are more expensive, and recommended products available but I want to use the cheapest and most widely available products I can.
That's it-hope someone finds it helpful.
relicmeister
Due to the number of relics I find I needed a process that would be efficient, but give good results. I like to process my finds as soon as possible
mainly because I want to get a good look at what I;ve found because it's often not apparent because of the rust and dirt crust. So I start by
knocking-off as much encrusted corrosion and dirt using a small hammer, small putty knife, coarse file and pliers, flat-head screwdriver and handheld wirebrush.
After that, I might use a bench-top wire-wheel. Then I use soap and hot water and scrub-brush and dry the parts. I have an electrolysis set up but I don't use it as often as I thought I would, but it certainly has its use on more delicate items, or parts with complex surfaces. For items that
I think are rare, valuable or delicate I can take them to work and use our sandblaster( but not for removing a lot of rust cause my boss gets mad
if I turn the sand media reddish.)
I also will soak parts in apple cider vinegar (ACV) for a few days-especially hard to clean, super corroded parts. It works well, but I really dislike the odor after the ACV is rust-laden, and you must use rubber gloves to scrub-wash the parts in the sink or your skin will get stained very badly and will be almost impossible to get clean again.
After manually cleaning and de-rusting, the next step is to bake the relics ( I use a toaster-oven) and wearing gloves, I brush on ordinary lard
(Crisco) and set them aside to cool. When still warm I use cotton rags to rub off the excess lard and loosened rust from the baking. When done the relics will have a nice, chocolate brown color, and any remaining rust will be hardly noticeable.
Until recently, the relics would at this point be ready for displaying. However, after a while (weeks to months) I noticed that many ( but not all)
of the restored relics would have new rust and flakes coming off them. This is of course undesirable and unacceptable.
So I began to one by one inspect each relic for signs of new rust and flaking. I then gather together a number of them and remove any new
rust or loose particles using wirebrush, or wirewheel. I may also scrub them in hot water and soap, rinse and dry them. Finally, they each get
a healthy coating of clear (glossy) lacquer which comes in an aerosol spray can. The parts will be dry enough to handle in under an hour, and
will look essentially the same except for the fact that they will save a slight satin sheen which I find attractive. Also, the relics will feel nice and nothing like rusty residue will rub off when handled. Most importantly, they will now be fully preserved and you won't have to worry about rust anymore. I'm sure brush-on lacquer could be used, but it would take longer, and longer to dry too. Up to each person which to use,
I'm sure there will be some who disagree with some of my method, but it's right for me. It is quick and efficient, and the end result is more than satisfactory. I can keep up with restoration and preservation regardless of how much I find and take home, and I can add finds to my collection within days. Since I MD almost every day, I have a bucket that I put finds in that I don't have time to clean immediately-but they don't sit for long.
BTW, ACV, Lard, and spray lacquer are all rather inexpensive. I'm sure there are more expensive, and recommended products available but I want to use the cheapest and most widely available products I can.
That's it-hope someone finds it helpful.
relicmeister
