WooHooo, Found Another

[bearbqd]

This was very unexpected today. I have permission to hunt a 140 acre area where a housing development was going to go in a couple of years ago. The area I've hunted mostly is right where an old house used to be that they have since leveled. The first time I was there last year, I found an unexpected 3 ringer under the gravel in the driveway. Since then I have never found anything else civil war related. I've found a couple of old coins and lots of flat buttons. I decided to endure the high trash area of fill over the house site and low and behold this baby pops out at about 4 inches depth. I couldn't believe it.

Unfortunately its not in nearly as good of shape as the other one I found a couple years back. Even after cleaning with soap and water and a tooth brush it still seems to have some deep seated crud on it. It reminds me of the ocean cement you find on things a lot at the ocean. I want to electrolysize it some to see if it will release some of the crud. I have a feeling it has much better detail underneath. I wanted to ask the experts opinions on here first to see if I should or not. Surely it couldn't look any worse. Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks.

Pics are before and after cleaning

 

[Swingit]

Awesome Buckle!!

 

[Iron Patch]

I think I have to disagree on it being burned. Brass has a melting point of 1600 degrees and campfires can get up to 3140 degrees. I think it would have showed more melting evidence. It just seems to have some bad ground crud on it. Maybe a reaction to chemicals dumped in the ground or fertilizers. Its definitely cleaning up better as I use electrolysis on it. I'll post a pic when its done.

Several peroxide soaks would have been the first thing I would have tried. Very harsh what you're using, but it's all about personal tatse.

 

[bearbqd]

Starting to look better, but i still can't get all of the crud around the eagle head to loosen up. Guess I'll keep trying.

 

[Baldingboy]

Starting to look better, but i still can't get all of the crud around the eagle head to loosen up. Guess I'll keep trying.

Bear~
Looking a ton better! Personally, I would send a message to Buckleboy and ask him what he would recommend. He really has a handle on the cleaning and preservation of stuff. I bet he could suggest a technique that would really help. You already have it looking pretty good now.

Baldingboy

 

[Iron Patch]

Starting to look better, but i still can't get all of the crud around the eagle head to loosen up. Guess I'll keep trying.

Bear~
Looking a ton better!

Baldingboy

That is definitely a matter of opinion because of how harsh that cleaning was and I would have loved to see it after two or three long peroxide soaks, and some toothpicking. But even that would have left some of the patina/corriosn, but that is the idea for a dug find. I unfortunately didn't get to suggest anything because it had already been cleaned. (2nd set of pics) That being said, you really don't have to worry much about preserving that as it will no doubt look the same in 50 years. The remaining crud might even dry out some over time and make it easier to deal with. (unless the cleaning keeps going) But hell it's still a plate with no major damage and some clear detail so a good find in my books.