Peter Beckett Posted 14 August , 2003 Share Posted 14 August , 2003 When I stayed at Varlet Farm recently, Charlotte presented me with a little gift. A nose cone in very good condition. I have got the heavy gunge off but before I continue, I am looking for 2 pieces of information. 1. Where can I find more technical information including drawings etc 2. Whats the best way to clean it up: A lots of elbow grease B Chemicals C Wire buffs or brushes Look forward to some answers Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parker Posted 14 August , 2003 Share Posted 14 August , 2003 Peter There are several books available with drawings, I have several at home. I think your first job is to clean up the fuze first and then see what number fuze it is and I can then point you in the right direction. If you know someone/somewhere that can sand blast it for you I would recommend that as the easiest way to remove the crud. It all dependings had badly coated it is. I wouldn't recommended wire brushes etc as they will probably scratch it. There was a previous thread where someone wanted to restore a luger that had been dug up, and there was lots of solutions there as to what chemicals to use to clean it up. Once you've cleaned it up let me know what number fuze and I will try and dig out some cut away drawings Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 14 August , 2003 Share Posted 14 August , 2003 Peter. If you can get you're hands on it the booklet shown below is very useful for any technical info. There's approx. 20 pages on fuzes alone, including cutaway drawings. It's not that uncommon and can sometimes be found in second hand book shops (probably also in Oz) for a couple of quid. Failing that, let me know what type of fuse it is and I'll email you the details. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beckett Posted 15 August , 2003 Author Share Posted 15 August , 2003 Thanks for the offer Dave. I let Geoff know that it was a No 80 VII Fuze with the number 2548-17 also stamped in the base and he has kindly offered to scan some drawings and send them. Blimey, you must have more military books than the Imperial War Museum Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egbert Posted 15 August , 2003 Share Posted 15 August , 2003 Peter, there is THE ONLY ONE cleaning expert for nose cones, even member of this forum! Contact Jan (AOK 4) with best wishes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parker Posted 15 August , 2003 Share Posted 15 August , 2003 Peter Have sent you email with details off forum Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beckett Posted 15 August , 2003 Author Share Posted 15 August , 2003 Geoff, Received both pictures OK Your help much appreciated Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 15 August , 2003 Share Posted 15 August , 2003 Peter, there is THE ONLY ONE cleaning expert for nose cones, even member of this forum! Contact Jan (AOK 4) with best wishes... That's too much honour to me, Egbert. It's my brother who cleans the fuzes. He collects fuzes himself (having several hundreds different ones) and cleans them too if they're in a good condition so you can take them apart into the different pieces. Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beckett Posted 15 August , 2003 Author Share Posted 15 August , 2003 Jan, That was part of my asking about cleaning etc because this fuze looks in good enough condition to pull apart. The drawings that Geoff sent will help me to see if it is worth doing without wrecking the fuze. Could you ask your brother about cleaning methods, for me? Thank you Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AOK4 Posted 15 August , 2003 Share Posted 15 August , 2003 Well, I can give a whole explanation but experience is equally important as the technical description. You need quite a bit of equipment (some kind of oven, a polisher etc.). Besides, if it's a fuze found on the fields of Flanders, I can guarantee it won't work out allright. You really need fuzes from fields where better manure is used or the ground is better (like the Somme f.i.). Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beckett Posted 15 August , 2003 Author Share Posted 15 August , 2003 Jan, Thanks for your reply. I understand what you are saying and you are right. There is a discolouration on the nose cap which looks like it has been caused by the soil it was in. I have had second thoughts about stripping it and now will polish it with Brasso or something similar and make a little display of it for my desk. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parker Posted 15 August , 2003 Share Posted 15 August , 2003 Peter Sometimes the nose of the fuze was made from a different metal or alloy so that might be the reason for the discolouration. If you clean it up with metal polish it should come up okay Glad the drawings were okay Geoff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somme1916 Posted 15 August , 2003 Share Posted 15 August , 2003 Jan, Most of the fuzes I have are from the Somme (go figure). Would you kindly forward the method your brother uses, if he dosen't mind, so I can give it a go on a few of mine? All the best, Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 15 August , 2003 Share Posted 15 August , 2003 Peter. As you now have the drawings, I didn't scan them, but here's the technical info. contained in the above booklet for the Nr.80 fuze.... Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolas G. Posted 16 August , 2003 Share Posted 16 August , 2003 Hi Peter & Pals, I share here my tiny experience on cleaning fuses. The method described on the forum for the luger is very good for iron. But avoid it for brass & copper materials could end like "1" on the image. Understood you made a first cleaning to remove ground traces (like in "2") so no need to tell about that.But my own method to end with something close to "3". I presume you want to remove oxydation/rust/verdigris & dark traces etc. --------------------- Remarks : take care of your eyes and it's recommanded to use latex gloves ; step A & B can be inverted but never mixed : dangerous. --------------------- A. Spray the fuse with a cleaning spray for oven to cover the fuse with a lay of lather. Wait c. 20 mn (will see the lather turn to blue)" B. Rinse you fuse, dry it with a cloth C. Prepare....a cocktail : 3/5 white vinagar 2/5 lemon juice (real one) + the salt use to scale/de-tartar coffe-machines (often include in filters box) + a little spoon of alcohol (optionnal) Shake and mix the whole. Wait a little. Then, test it by applying some with a coton-stick on the bottom of the fuse (to avoid bad result...). Wait and see. Don't use your home acid as a long bath but use a brush or spray it. Don't let the fuse drying with acid on it. After rinsed it as in "B". D. Use brasso for a last clean, also worth is the paste designed to erase rays on cars (not the common polish). Anyway, require always here a lot of "elbow grease" to remove the black and also not to have white traces in the interstices some days after. Before D, you may have the chance to get iron wool (not stell wool!!!). I was given some these days and the result is perfect with no scratch. A miracle to save bad cleanings. But that iron or stell wool seems to be rare and expansive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Beckett Posted 16 August , 2003 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2003 Nicholas and Pals, I have just taken a photo of the fuze as it is now. ( I was in hurry which explains the slight out of focus ) Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somme1916 Posted 16 August , 2003 Share Posted 16 August , 2003 Nicolas, Some of the rifle rounds I've cleaned in "Lime Away" turned out like your fuze in photo #1. I buffed most of it off with grade 00 steal wool. It took some effort but I was able to remove most of the pink. Have you found any other ways to remove the pink? Cheers, Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolas G. Posted 16 August , 2003 Share Posted 16 August , 2003 Jon, I think you have used the better way to remove the pink (steal wool & then again brasso). Using another mixture would be too risky as far as I know. Peter, Great result ! Hard to have better. Or maybe it's would be worth using tight steal wool for the brown parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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