To clean or not to clean

[seanhath]

I personally prefer to leave my badges in the ‘as found’ tarnished condition I find them in.
Recently I loaned a badge to a collector, and I was crushed to receive it back in a shined polished state. He sees no wrong in what he’s done, and ostensibly he hasn’t.
Personally- I thinks it’s criminal

What are your thoughts?

[Sonofacqms]

If I have any amount of verdegris on my badges I clean them with soap and water as this intruder does not disappear on it's own and damages badges if left.

Rob

[Charliedog012012]

I agree with both of your comments. Taking away the patina of a badge seems to me to be stealing its history.....but verdigris has to be removed...it will only get worse if untreated. A very gentle clean with soap and water is the best I agree.

[Alex Rice]

I don't believe in polishing badges regularly because it will damage the badge, but so will long term oxidization. I also think badges should be displayed as they would be worn, in a nice clean state. I gave all my badges a good clean before mounting them in display frames, and 10 years down the road they still look good, and there is no value lost.
Definitely personal choice though.
Cheers,
Alex

[magpie]

Some badges look absolutely great with a nice patina and that's the only reason why you bought it in the first place, on the other hand some badges look the exact opposite and the only way to bring it back is a nice clean.
I prefer a nice original badge with a nice pleasing patina that has taken perhaps 100 years to develop but if it's something that is in sh1t order as my dad would say I would Perhaps think about first a wash in hot soapy water and then a more drastic clean if still needed, I wouldn't be very happy with lending a badge to someone and them playing around with it and think your friend? Is out of order in doing so.

[Phil2M]

I would not be talking to my friend anymore if they polished any of my badges without my permissison. My grandad used to do this when my collection was stored in his spare room.

[grenadierguardsman]

I sometimes give mine a light brush with warm water and toothpaste.
Andy

[leigh kitchen]

Originally Posted by Phil2M

I would not be talking to my friend anymore if they polished any of my badges without my permissison. My grandad used to do this when my collection was stored in his spare room.

I picked up a lovely little Celtic bronze axe head a couple of thousand years old, in Bosnia some years ago, along with mediaeval cross bow bolt heads, a Roman hunting spear head, Roman coins, all of the bronze items with a lovely green patina.
Gave them to my father, an octagenarian ex-Guardsman.
Next time I saw them they'd all been bulled to a nice shine..........

[Peter Brydon]

This must be one one most common subjects in past threads, well worth searching for those old threads.

Here`s one:

http://www.britishbadgeforum.com/for...leaning+badges

P.B.

[Traist]

I do agree to remove verdigris. I normally use a mixture of water and vinegar to clean this. Other than that, I tend to leave them as I find them. Regards Andrew