Battlefield 1866
Established Users
Here are a few notes on how I clean iron. I am often asked about this on ebay so I thought I would go ahead and post it hear. Any thoughts - comments - ideas - corrections would be appreciated. These are the current instructions I have for those who ask.......
Thanks,
Brad
As far as the electrolysis.......Here are some instructions.
It is really easy and all you need is a car battery charger, copper wire, a plastic container, and some alligator clips. The solution uses Lye, which can be bought easily. Really all you have to do is put a couple table spoons of lye crystals in water (about one table spoon per gallon.....that may be too much it does not take a lot to make a good electrolyte). Then you grind a small spot on the artifact so the iron metal (silver color) is there. Hook a NEGATIVE end of the battery charger to this with the wire and alligator clip. The POSITIVE end goes to an electrode, which is partially submerged in the solution. I use an old army mess tin. If you use like a screw driver it will dissolve in about a day!! Thus stainless steel, but I find the army mess tins work great. The alligator clip from the POSITIVE end cannot touch the electrolyte or it to will dissolve so clip it on to the mess tin above the water line. I tape the tin in place to secure part of it above the water line. You can run as many NEGATIVE leads as you want. I use 18 so I can clean 18 objects at once. Watch the level on the charge meter that it does not go into the red. This could mean you have too strong of electrolyte (too much lye) and or you have too much metal. I use a large plastic box type container that holds about five gallons. I measure out 100 ml in measuring cup lye. Sometimes if I have too much metal in I put the charger on 6V rather than 12. It usually takes about 6 to 12 hours to get the bug stuff off, longer for really corroded pieces. I use a wire brush with water to remove the rust, you will see that it simply falls off. Then I use a Dremel type tool with various diamond tip burs to remove other crusty areas and pits in the metal. this is all then smoothed out with 100 grit sand paper and scrubbed in water with the wire brush again. Thin I put the item in solution of citric acid. (mix about a half a cup per 2 gallons, maybe need more). I buy citric acid here at the grocery store, it is used for removing chalk from drains etc. After about an hour or so I pull the items out and scrub really good with wire brush. Go back over any areas with the diamond burs again and scrub again. When the item dries it will have a reddish tone from the acid. I use a fine steel wire bush and scrub real good. I usually let it set for about a day before I apply wax to make sure no reddish tone. I use an electric fondue pot to melt the Micro-Crystalline wax. Heat it up beyond the boiling temp. of water. When you put the item in you will see it boil like deep frying shrimp. Wait until the bubbles almost stop. This means the water has been evaporated from the metal. Pull it out, let it air cool a minute and wipe off excess wax.
If you do not desire a silvery metal finish omit the citric acid part. But, you can experiment with junk dug up iron to see what you like best and what effect these various steps will have on the item. Some very fragile items I hand clean only since these chemical processes can really take too much away. Most spurs and heavier items are no problem. Remember that if the items are gold or silver plated this can take the plating away too. After doing it a while you will know how far to go on various things.
You can get Micro-crystalline wax from Kremer Pigmente it is called Cosmoloid H80
This is their German web site, but I think they also have a US site so look through Yahoo etc.
http://www.kremer-pigmente.de/bindem01.htm
Scroll down and you will see item # 62800 Cosmoloid H80
Here is another web site that gives some info about electrolysis:
https://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/ ... RON-2.html
Look in Yahoo for iron conservation etc. I found a lot of info there. I have been doing this for about 10 years now and have currently worked out this way to do it. The citric acid part is new and I have only just started doing this.
Remember that iron is VERY unstable and all it needs is water and oxygen to rust. Unless the item is in a vacuum it almost impossible to totally stop from rusting again. So, I sometimes have to go back and re-conserve items that began to rust again. Sealing them with the wax is very important!! This new way I do it with the citric acid removes almost all of the rust even in the pockets or pits if I also use the Dremel and diamond bits. So...all I have to do is keep it sealed and dry. Before you seal it in the wax make sure the metal color is the way you want it. Dremel work, sand paper, and brushing will help get it the way you like it. If you want it darker color use some Tannic Acid. Mix about a 5% to 20% solution and paint it on, but this will only work on the areas that still have a little iron oxide thus converting it into a little more stable Ferric Tanate. Your item could turn out a little spotty looking if you use this in combination with the citric acid treatment.
But...most important. Unless you ruin the item on a bench grinder you can always go back and re-do anything if you do not like the way it looks. I boil the items in water and maybe use a little acetone to remove the way. Wire brush also helps, then put it back in electrolysis and go from there. I will say you cannot take back what citric acid removes, but do not be afraid to try it. Experiment first with rusted junk until you get the procedure you like and adjust the cleaning accordingly for each piece depending on it's present condition.
It is easy once you get going. I may sound like a chemist, but I am NOT! I learned all of this from trail and error. The Internet was very helpful in learning a lot of this. Not so many errors though. I have a few pieces I may have cleaned a little too much, but I have cleaned thousands of items in the last 10 years!! I even bought a micro sand blaster, but find it is too time consuming unless I have a very special piece.
Thanks,
Brad
As far as the electrolysis.......Here are some instructions.
It is really easy and all you need is a car battery charger, copper wire, a plastic container, and some alligator clips. The solution uses Lye, which can be bought easily. Really all you have to do is put a couple table spoons of lye crystals in water (about one table spoon per gallon.....that may be too much it does not take a lot to make a good electrolyte). Then you grind a small spot on the artifact so the iron metal (silver color) is there. Hook a NEGATIVE end of the battery charger to this with the wire and alligator clip. The POSITIVE end goes to an electrode, which is partially submerged in the solution. I use an old army mess tin. If you use like a screw driver it will dissolve in about a day!! Thus stainless steel, but I find the army mess tins work great. The alligator clip from the POSITIVE end cannot touch the electrolyte or it to will dissolve so clip it on to the mess tin above the water line. I tape the tin in place to secure part of it above the water line. You can run as many NEGATIVE leads as you want. I use 18 so I can clean 18 objects at once. Watch the level on the charge meter that it does not go into the red. This could mean you have too strong of electrolyte (too much lye) and or you have too much metal. I use a large plastic box type container that holds about five gallons. I measure out 100 ml in measuring cup lye. Sometimes if I have too much metal in I put the charger on 6V rather than 12. It usually takes about 6 to 12 hours to get the bug stuff off, longer for really corroded pieces. I use a wire brush with water to remove the rust, you will see that it simply falls off. Then I use a Dremel type tool with various diamond tip burs to remove other crusty areas and pits in the metal. this is all then smoothed out with 100 grit sand paper and scrubbed in water with the wire brush again. Thin I put the item in solution of citric acid. (mix about a half a cup per 2 gallons, maybe need more). I buy citric acid here at the grocery store, it is used for removing chalk from drains etc. After about an hour or so I pull the items out and scrub really good with wire brush. Go back over any areas with the diamond burs again and scrub again. When the item dries it will have a reddish tone from the acid. I use a fine steel wire bush and scrub real good. I usually let it set for about a day before I apply wax to make sure no reddish tone. I use an electric fondue pot to melt the Micro-Crystalline wax. Heat it up beyond the boiling temp. of water. When you put the item in you will see it boil like deep frying shrimp. Wait until the bubbles almost stop. This means the water has been evaporated from the metal. Pull it out, let it air cool a minute and wipe off excess wax.
If you do not desire a silvery metal finish omit the citric acid part. But, you can experiment with junk dug up iron to see what you like best and what effect these various steps will have on the item. Some very fragile items I hand clean only since these chemical processes can really take too much away. Most spurs and heavier items are no problem. Remember that if the items are gold or silver plated this can take the plating away too. After doing it a while you will know how far to go on various things.
You can get Micro-crystalline wax from Kremer Pigmente it is called Cosmoloid H80
This is their German web site, but I think they also have a US site so look through Yahoo etc.
http://www.kremer-pigmente.de/bindem01.htm
Scroll down and you will see item # 62800 Cosmoloid H80
Here is another web site that gives some info about electrolysis:
https://www.denix.osd.mil/denix/Public/ ... RON-2.html
Look in Yahoo for iron conservation etc. I found a lot of info there. I have been doing this for about 10 years now and have currently worked out this way to do it. The citric acid part is new and I have only just started doing this.
Remember that iron is VERY unstable and all it needs is water and oxygen to rust. Unless the item is in a vacuum it almost impossible to totally stop from rusting again. So, I sometimes have to go back and re-conserve items that began to rust again. Sealing them with the wax is very important!! This new way I do it with the citric acid removes almost all of the rust even in the pockets or pits if I also use the Dremel and diamond bits. So...all I have to do is keep it sealed and dry. Before you seal it in the wax make sure the metal color is the way you want it. Dremel work, sand paper, and brushing will help get it the way you like it. If you want it darker color use some Tannic Acid. Mix about a 5% to 20% solution and paint it on, but this will only work on the areas that still have a little iron oxide thus converting it into a little more stable Ferric Tanate. Your item could turn out a little spotty looking if you use this in combination with the citric acid treatment.
But...most important. Unless you ruin the item on a bench grinder you can always go back and re-do anything if you do not like the way it looks. I boil the items in water and maybe use a little acetone to remove the way. Wire brush also helps, then put it back in electrolysis and go from there. I will say you cannot take back what citric acid removes, but do not be afraid to try it. Experiment first with rusted junk until you get the procedure you like and adjust the cleaning accordingly for each piece depending on it's present condition.
It is easy once you get going. I may sound like a chemist, but I am NOT! I learned all of this from trail and error. The Internet was very helpful in learning a lot of this. Not so many errors though. I have a few pieces I may have cleaned a little too much, but I have cleaned thousands of items in the last 10 years!! I even bought a micro sand blaster, but find it is too time consuming unless I have a very special piece.