Nigel Marshall Posted 24 October , 2008 Share Posted 24 October , 2008 Hi, This will probably make people cringe, but here is my formula for a long lasting gentle clean. 1. De-grease. I use cola or a weak water/vinegar solution. Immerse for 30 seconds and rinse under running water. Repeat if neccessary. 2. Apply liquid silver polish and ensure full coverage (I use Goddards, but there are others). 3. Gently rub until all tarnish is removed or polish is dry. If dry before tarnish is removed, apply more polish and repeat. 4. Using a good quality worn in shaving brush*, trimmed to a flat surface, gently brush off residue of polish using strokes in one direction. Apply very little pressure. 5. Buff with a clean, soft cloth**. * A new brush can be used but you must boil it to within an inch of it's life. ** I use a worn out cotton T-shirt, again washed to within an inch of it's life. I have medals in my collection that I cleaned in this way 4 years ago and they are still bright and won't need touching for a good while yet. I have used this method on my own medals since issue and they are still in as new condition with sharp definition and no scratches. Exercise your own caution. Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Blonde Posted 24 October , 2008 Share Posted 24 October , 2008 A solution of warm water and washing-up solution, A soft tooth brush, light brushing, Avoid getting the ribbons wet Dry with paper towel. Generally I frown at getting a shine on medals, they develop a natural patina with time. Even a light polishing starts to erode the fine detail Connaught Stranger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green_acorn Posted 24 October , 2008 Share Posted 24 October , 2008 OpsMajor, Another for you, from the Australian Department of Veterans Affairs booklet Caring for your Wartime Memorobilia, the site the IWM directs you to for advanced medal care: Work out what you need and assemble everything before you start. Work in a well-ventilated area. Some of the chemicals used in the process can irritate if they touch the skin or are inhaled. Do not smoke when working with paints or solvents. For each stage of cleaning, first try the cleaning method on a small area of the medal, for example part of the edge. Take the ribbon off the medal by cutting the stitching, not the ribbon. Degrease the medal by dipping it in a small jar of acetone (available from a chemist or hardware store) then wipe it with a cotton bud. The acetone will remove most lacquers used to coat medals. Scrub the medal gently with a soft toothbrush if it is very dirty. Work carefully and stop if the brush seems to cause scratching on the surface of the medal. If necessary, polish the medal, using a silver foam designed for silver or plate. Ensure that the foam does not contain silicone. If a foam is not available, use Silvo silver polish. Only as a last result, use a silver dip. A silver dip etches metal, cutting into the surface details. Follow the instructions on whichever product you use. Use Brasso brass polish only for very stubborn stains for copper and brass. Brasso is harsher than the silver polishes, and repeated use could wear away fine detail on the medal. Make sure you remove all traces of the polish after you finish-polish residues can cause corrosion. Dip the medal in methylated spirits and wipe it off with a cotton bud to prepare it for the next stage. Coat the medal with lacquer to prevent future corrosion. Use Wattyl Incralac which is available from hardware stores. Hang the medal on a small loop of picture wire, and dip the medal gently into the Incralac for a few seconds. Pull the medal out of the lacquer and, using the wire loop, hang the medal where it cannot touch anything. Place old newspapers beneath the hanging medal to catch any lacquer drips. Leave the medal untouched for 24 hours, after which the lacquer will be thoroughly dry. If 'rainbows' appear in the lacquer on the medal, the lacquer is too thin or the room temperature is too low. Use acetone to remove the lacquer from the medal, then reapply it under more favourable conditions. Do not heat the lacquer or place it in front of a heater as it is very flammable. The booklet also has guides on cleaning the ribbon, http://www.dva.gov.au/media/publicat/2001/...bilia/index.htm Cheers, Hendo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarsA Posted 24 October , 2008 Share Posted 24 October , 2008 I'll go along with Connaught on this, a medal that gets its patina polished away will not recover it for a long time. For anything kept shine during service, by all means continue with dips or anything that won't harm the metal. But when the patina is there, soapy water and a soft brush is all that really is needed. Of course this is only an opinion. /Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 24 October , 2008 Share Posted 24 October , 2008 Me again, Please remember that most of these instructions were written out when toothbrushes were made of softer stuff than they are today. Go anywhere near a medal with a modern toothbrush, and you will scratch it. A soft brush might take a while longer to remove residue but it will do it, just have patience! Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 24 October , 2008 Share Posted 24 October , 2008 A soft tooth brush, light brushing, I wouldnt recommend any brush on a silver medal as it is a very soft metal,even a soft brush will scratch the surface... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpsMajor Posted 28 October , 2008 Share Posted 28 October , 2008 Thanks to you all for the advice -I will proceed with caution! Krs Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Johnson Posted 28 October , 2008 Share Posted 28 October , 2008 If he wants his Stars shiny (or if the patina is uneven) a couple of hours in tomato ketchup will bring them up nice and shiny, and it cleans off much easier than metal polish. Now you know why I stick to relish only on my hamburgers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpsMajor Posted 11 November , 2008 Share Posted 11 November , 2008 Just to let you know he appeared with them shining on Sunday - there was many a moist eye in the Congregation Thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FantasticFox Posted 26 December , 2009 Share Posted 26 December , 2009 I have my grt granddad's two medals, the Victory War Medal is starting to show a little darkness. Is there a way to clean the medals without casuing any damage to them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 26 December , 2009 Share Posted 26 December , 2009 Wash them gently in a bowl of warm water with a little washing up liquid. Any stubborn dirt can be removed with a soft toothbrush. Be particularly careful with the Victory medal, as the gilding metal can be damaged if roughly teated. Dot not use any propriety metal cleaners TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 26 December , 2009 Share Posted 26 December , 2009 You'll find plenty of advice in the numerous past discussions on this, Foxy: http://www.google.com/cse?cx=0027984008748...2%3Awsccetj4afm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27thBN Posted 27 December , 2009 Share Posted 27 December , 2009 Unless I really feel the need to tidy up a dirty medal i dont bother .If you must do so yes the above method with water is about it .I never use brasso or silvo etc to scary MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 27 December , 2009 Share Posted 27 December , 2009 No proble wit using a bit of silver dip and a warm wash on the BWM then warm soapy wash for the Victory if it has ben sleaned previosly then a tiny spot of polish. Then get them prfessionally framed, you will find they keep the polish for years under glass. Whats this about damaging gilding metal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 27 December , 2009 Share Posted 27 December , 2009 The victory medal has a base metal under the shiny brass finish and excessive wear can cause it to disappear. You would have to give it some rubbing / abrasion though!!! Regards TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 8 May , 2010 Share Posted 8 May , 2010 Two little questions for you to muse on and give me your thoughts. 1. Thanks to fellow forum member GavinH I have achieved a partial re-unite. I had the MM to Dmr A Rowson,1/5 R. Warks. Gavin contacted me out of the blue and informed me he had the BWM. To cut a story short Gavin was a gent and the BWM now sits next to the MM after how many years? Anyhow the MM is clean and shiny having no toning. The BWM is beautifully toned having I guess never been cleaned. They look odd next to each other but I am loath to clean the BWM so it matches the MM. What would you do? 2. I have a trio to a soldier who died of wounds on the Somme. The reciepients of his medals have put the ribbons on the wrong medals but they are the original ribbons and are sown so they cannot be removed without cuttind the stitching. Would you correct the error or leave as the family had them? I kinda know the answers as far as I am concerned but am interested to take your council. Regards TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 8 May , 2010 Share Posted 8 May , 2010 FWIW as a non medal collector but with a few in my care, I would leave both sets as they are. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27thBN Posted 8 May , 2010 Share Posted 8 May , 2010 Ok if it was me with many similar situations i would just ..just dip the Bwm enough to match no polish at all ever and enjoy the 2 together no harm no drama .And well done on getting the Bwm love a reunite ! MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 8 May , 2010 Share Posted 8 May , 2010 I would clean the BWM lightly, just a wash in warm soapy water and perhaps light agitation with a toothbrush. The trio, I would remount, ideally using original ribbon. I know the purists don't like it but I happily use modern copy ribbon and court mount all my WW1 groups. They aren't worn as the recipients are long-since dead, so I mount them for display. Original ribbon looks nice but the cost is prohibitive for anything other than one or two groups. Ultimately, of course, you should do what feels right for you. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 8 May , 2010 Share Posted 8 May , 2010 As problems go thats not a bad one to have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimyridge Posted 8 May , 2010 Share Posted 8 May , 2010 TT If I understand...You want to clean this medal to make it look as if both medals aged together and spent the last 90+ in the same box? Well...that's not what happened is it! Altering the patina and age for ascetic reasons is not a good enough reason in my opinion Leave them as they are, it also makes for a much more interesting story when you tell people "They have not aged the same because they were split up so long ago and have now been reunited. I think it adds to the appeal and life of the medal. If I were buying those medals from you..I would prefer them not cleaned...at all!!! For the record, I have some medals in my collection but I am not a medal collector nor a "purist" CHEERS Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 8 May , 2010 Share Posted 8 May , 2010 Ahh.... Roger, You mis judge me. I am minded to leve all as they are. I always was but I am still interested in your council. Re cleaning medals I never re clean the Stars and Victory medals however sometimes silver needs tlc as it can blacken awfully. To get a lovely tone is nice and not always possible...storage, conditions etc. I also am minded NOT to remount the ribbons either. However it kinda niggles me and I dont know why.......? TT Centurion...yes a nice dilemma......thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Strawbridge Posted 8 May , 2010 Share Posted 8 May , 2010 If it were me I would leave them exactly as you received them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regimentalrogue Posted 8 May , 2010 Share Posted 8 May , 2010 To paraphrase Chris: FWIW as a medal collector , I would leave both sets as they are. In each case, those details are part of the story of the medals, part of the journey they took to come into your care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rksimpson Posted 8 May , 2010 Share Posted 8 May , 2010 Hi I would leave as is There is a story to tell if people ask why they are like they are. and that makes it a bit more personal. regards Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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