Cleaning gilded bronze and gilded brass

[Paul L Murphy]

I have purchased a large lot of military buttons, many of which are over 100 years old, and some of which are gilded bronze and brass. Any tips on how to bring them back to their former glory since some of them are suffering from old age, ranign from dullness to mild corrosion.

All help gratefully received.

Paul

[Ed_Haynes]

Be careful, be very careful. Warmish water and tiny amounts of mild soap. Do not soak; dip and massage with the fingers, wrinse, and dry with a smooth cloth (handkerchief). Then see where things stand. Unless there is sign of surface flaking, then leave as is.

As the medical types say: "First, do no harm."

Edited December 1, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Guest Rick Research]

If there is a Miracle Product out there that cleans without polishing surface finish down to base metal, I've never heard of it.

[Paul L Murphy]

Thanks guys. I was tending towards good old warm water and babysoap myself. Some of them are already rubbed etc. so I do not want to make anything worse than it already is. Most of them are, thankfully, in excellent condition and some will be posted here in due course.

Paul

[Ed_Haynes]

Just don't soak them, could get into the interior and . . . YUKKKK.

One summer, many years ago, in a universe far, far away, I had the task of 'cleaning' the buttons from George Washington's uniform coat. Talk about 'new underwear' time . . .

[JimZ]

Things is if you polish you'll expose the surface which will react to the air and tarnish yet again. And polishing being abrasive in nature is why rick never heard of a polish that does not eat away at the material. Removing mud, soil and filth from a button is one thing - trying to restore its shine is another.

Jim