Restoring an Erased Medal

[ph0ebus]

Hi all,

A thread on a set of renamed medals on another militaria forum led me to wonder if it would not be possible to, using available scientific techniques, somehow draw out or identify the original name on a medal that had been erased and/or renamed? I would think the original stamping process would have left some traces/deformations in the metal that perhaps could be brought out with the right methods...has this ever been tried?

I would think it would be great to find a medal that has been erased, then through proper analysis and close examination, re-name the medal back to its original owner.

Thoughts?

-Daniel

[taylov]

There are methods that have been shown to work, but these are generally considered to be beyond the scope of the average collector. I have 2 science degrees and I would hesitate to use some of the chemicals involved. The results are often short-lived and risk damage to the medal, as well to the operative.

[Arnhem44]

The expense involved I would imagine would be quite high for such a process.If a medal had been erased completely would it not be hard for any details to be found?

Regards

Brendan

[ph0ebus]

There are methods that have been shown to work, but these are generally considered to be beyond the scope of the average collector. I have 2 science degrees and I would hesitate to use some of the chemicals involved. The results are often short-lived and risk damage to the medal, as well to the operative.

Yikes!

Of course, other than the risk (to life and limb!) is the cost, which sounds high given your description. Too bad.

-Daniel

[Andy Wade]

I'd heard that an acid etch could reveal stresses/density changes in the surface of the metal which might reveal numbers or letters that had been stamped into the surface and later ground off.

Ah, here's something on the same lines:

Practical Machinist - Post #8

Seems a bit risky to me, but as the medal has already been ground to remove the name and number, it's already partially damaged. At least you might be able to get the provenance you need.

[Michael Johnson]

Apparently an x-ray will show a ghost of the naming, caused by the thicker metal below where the letters were punched.

[SiegeGunner]

Forensic methods might work on a clean-erased medal, but surely re-naming would confuse/obliterate the evidence beyond retrieval?

[ph0ebus]

I wonder what we'd get if we took some erased medals through some of the new-fangled TSA body scanners?

-Daniel

[SiegeGunner]

A pat-down search of the family jewels, most likely ...

[taylov]

Apparently an x-ray will show a ghost of the naming, caused by the thicker metal below where the letters were punched.

Yes, that might work but not a medical type exposure. You need access to an industrial radiation source - the sort used to check structural metalwork. Very dodgy piece of kit if you don't know what you're doing.

[Jim Strawbridge]

I have been wondering the same thing. But mine is a female memorial plaque with the name shaved off. Obviously the stresses and strains on the metal would not be the same as with the medal which was impressed.

[SiegeGunner]

If it's been erased, Jim, how do you know that it was originally a 'female plaque'?

If I'm right in thinking that plaques are relief-moulded, and the name has been ground or shaved away to below the bottom of the lettering, I suspect there would be nothing left to detect.

Plaques to female casualties are surely 'rare', so why would someone erase one?

[robins2]

I wonder what we'd get if we took some erased medals through some of the new-fangled TSA body scanners?

-Daniel

back in my auto theft days (meaning I was the investigator) we used an acid to bring back serial #'s that had been ground off, the area was swabbed with???acid, can not remember type, then we attached a 12 volt car battery via cables to the item the reaction of the voltage and acid brought back the numbers/letters, depending on how much was ground off, the metal is still compressed enough to show, if only for a short period. we were instructed to use this procedure only once as repeated treatments will eventually destroy the #'s. a relatively cheap and safe way to try, although common sense etc. when handling acid etc.

Regards

Bob R.

[Andy Wade]

If it's been erased, Jim, how do you know that it was originally a 'female plaque'?

If I'm right in thinking that plaques are relief-moulded, and the name has been ground or shaved away to below the bottom of the lettering, I suspect there would be nothing left to detect.

Plaques to female casualties are surely 'rare', so why would someone erase one?

Because it would say 'She died for freedom and honour' on the lettering round the edge?

Wouldn't it have only been the words in the square panel that would need to be erased?

[SiegeGunner]

Because it would say 'She died for freedom and honour' on the lettering round the edge?

Ah yes - apologies for not thinking of that ...