Blisters

[Tom Y]

I'm sure there's nothing that can be done about it, but I'd like to know the cause so it doesn't happen again. I have an Austrian Wound Medal with an outline of Karl's head and three blistery looking bumps on the reverse. If it weren't for the ribbon being on it I'd swear it had been in a fire. The obverse is fine with no sign of zinc disease, but the reverse is just really funky. Can anyone help me out here?

[Paul R]

What are these medals made of? Zinc?

[Tom Y]

What are these medals made of? Zinc?

Ayup

[Guest Rick Research]

I'd say that one lay in contact with something which has caused a spectularly nasty electrolosis-type chemical reaction in the metal only. Didn't affect the cloth as badly, though even that has an "exhumed" look suggesting the displaced metallic vapors were Not A Good Thing in close proximity.

These get dull or softly powdery. I've never seen one do THAT before.

[Daniel Murphy]

That looks like bubbled plating to me. Was the medal a early plated one or a duplicate that may have been plated. I have never seen plain zinc do that either.

Whatever you do, don't pop them! It might be contagious

Dan Murphy

Edited August 13, 2006 by Daniel Murphy

[bigjarofwasps]

Hi, I`m by n means whatsoever, an expert, and can not account for this, but I just thought, have you seen how quickly medals tarsh anyway, even if just in a draw or something. How often do you wear `em once or twice a year maybe, you polish `em up, and by the next time you come to need `em they`ve all go black? Just a thought.

[Daniel Murphy]

Hi, I`m by n means whatsoever, an expert, and can not account for this, but I just thought, have you seen how quickly medals tarsh anyway, even if just in a draw or something. How often do you wear `em once or twice a year maybe, you polish `em up, and by the next time you come to need `em they`ve all go black? Just a thought.

I assume you are speaking of silver medals. That would be oxidation and possibly sulpher in the air. Depending on where you live and what might contaminants might be in your air, the effect can vary. If you were to able to seal them in a small airtight container this would likely not happen. Just be sure to place some moisture absorbtion device (like a packet of silica gel) with them. I don't know if it is possible to have them professionally clear coated to protect them, or even if you would want to, but this would prevent the need to polish them and thereby prevent wear to the medals over time. I know that many current U.S. medals can come with a "perma-shine" type of finish.

Dan Murphy

[Tom Y]

Thanks for the input, guys. the piece isn't plated, so that's not the answer. I think I migfht have figured it out. I got into some poison ivy a while back, and.....

[Guest Rick Research]

Well, THAT'S easy enough to fix then-- you just need to

shave!

Austrian wartime zinc can stay pretty amazingly "s issued" if it has NOT gotten into some sort of storage trouble in the last 90 years. It doesn't normally react the way WW2 German zink does--whatever the chemical composition difference in the alloys was.

PS Please do not post pictures of YOU with the poison ivy, OK?

[Daniel Murphy]

I think I migfht have figured it out. I got into some poison ivy a while back, and.....

Hey, thsts my line.

D. Murphy

sorry keybord problems.