Cleaning Blackened Badges

[Pylon1357]

I was just sitting here cleaning up a couple of Brass Shoulder Titles, and I thought to myself....what about cleaning Blackened Badges. For example, How would one go about cleaning say a QOR, Winnipeg Rifles, or other Blackened Badge or title??

I was looking at my newest acquired badge, a cap badge belonging to the Prince Edward Island Light Horse, and thought of how I would clean it if need be.

The badge is very nice and no need to clean it ever, but what about things like blackened titles or other badges? Certainly one would not use Brasso to clean up a Blackened badge? I use either Brasso or never dull to clean up my dirty badges. I only clean them once. They go into my display case and live there the rest of my days.

Something that I just thought of and wondered about.

[boots and saddles]

Someone was just saying they liked to see the odd joke.I believe it was Saddle Tree Maker, Well, THIS BEING THE SABBATH A LITTLE SERMON(joke) maybe in order, SEND UNTO ME ALL THOSE BLACKENED BADGES THAT YOU HAVE AND I WILL LIGHTEN YOUR BURDEN. ( sorry Cliff) Ray

[N.S. Regt.]

All I do to clean my badges is a soft brush and a little warm water this is usally good enough to get rid of all traces of old brasso and dirt. I would not use anything harsher if you wish to preserve the remaining original finish.

Stephen

[Eddie Parks]

Gentle soap and water works fine

But best is one of those sonic cleaners sold as jewellry cleaners. Work by ultra sonic sound; no abrasion at all.

Eddie

[badgecollector]

I know a collector who only collects the gilt/brass/copper/white metal versions of badges. Occasionally he has to buy the blackened version and generally these are the rarer badges. He cleans all the black off back to base metal. To me, he has stuffed that badge.
BC

[Pylon1357]

Thanks for the replies lads. It was something I was wondering about while cleaning up a very crusty set of Royal Regiment of Canada brass titles.

As I stated in my first post, I saw my PEI Light Horse cap badge sitting on my desk, waiting to be mounted into my collection, and thought how would I clean this if needed?


Gentle soap and water makes the most sense. I can only imagine how many badge finishes have been ruined by a lapse in judgment but people over the years.

Ray, a very interesting sermon for sure. I loved it, made me laugh out loud.

[boots and saddles]

Glad you have a sence of humor cliff.

[Bill A]

Eddie, Have you used the ultrasonic cleaners? Does it clean verdigris? Stains?

[Peter Brydon]

At the risk of going off topic ( if I am I will get my trusty service revolver out and do the descent thing ) there is a general collection in ( I seem to remember ) one of the Museums in the Midlands where all the blackened badges have in the past been varnished to protect the finish.All it has done is to ruin some great original items.
I would leave blackened and service dress bronze badges just as they are.

P.B.

[signalman]

when i clean medals [again not all of them] i use a paste of bicarbonate of soda rubbed in with the fingers,then a soft toothbrush and some warm water,an abrasive i know but mild.

[Eddie Parks]

The sonic cleaner will remove any physical dirt from the surface of the badge. It will not remove patina (or tarnish if you like) but any brasso residue will disappear.

It also removes any trace of grease, finger marks etc . If the piece is heavily verdigrised (is that a word?) it will remove any loose material but not the stain underneath.

I have had great success using it with a detergent added to the water and if something is at all greasy filling the bowl with pure denatured achohol. Obviously experiment with something cheap first!

It cleans gold jewellery so that it looks like new, and the wife's rings look a million dollars. Metal wrist watch straps etc etc.

[41st]

Originally Posted by Eddie Parks

The sonic cleaner will remove any physical dirt from the surface of the badge. It will not remove patina (or tarnish if you like) but any brasso residue will disappear.

It also removes any trace of grease, finger marks etc . If the piece is heavily verdigrised (is that a word?) it will remove any loose material but not the stain underneath.

I have had great success using it with a detergent added to the water and if something is at all greasy filling the bowl with pure denatured achohol. Obviously experiment with something cheap first!

It cleans gold jewellery so that it looks like new, and the wife's rings look a million dollars. Metal wrist watch straps etc etc.

Just to add my two penneth worth, I have recently bought a sonic cleaner and would also highly recommend it.
Cofion
Kevin

[mad4thcef]

Originally Posted by Pylon1357

I was just sitting here cleaning up a couple of Brass Shoulder Titles, and I thought to myself....what about cleaning Blackened Badges. For example, How would one go about cleaning say a QOR, Winnipeg Rifles, or other Blackened Badge or title??

I was looking at my newest acquired badge, a cap badge belonging to the Prince Edward Island Light Horse, and thought of how I would clean it if need be.

The badge is very nice and no need to clean it ever, but what about things like blackened titles or other badges? Certainly one would not use Brasso to clean up a Blackened badge? I use either Brasso or never dull to clean up my dirty badges. I only clean them once. They go into my display case and live there the rest of my days.

Something that I just thought of and wondered about.

I use a sonic cleaner which has been mentioned use warm water and sunlight dish soap!