Subject: Re: chrome and steel wool

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Mguzz-@aol.com a *crit :so what is the best?

Hi Everyone,

I wish you all a Very Happy New Year and a great riding season for 2002!

In answer to the question what is the best polishing product - many
answers. The first is that manufacturers keep changing their formulas
without notice and it is difficult to recommend a product for that
reason. In museums, we recommend using the least abraisive and most
inert product and working your way up. If you just want to clean an
already shiny surface, a solution of precipitated chalk can be
sufficient - that way you don't overpolish the surface. Do not use this
on for a heavy duty polishing job - you will hate my guts. Some people
use gentle polishers, but with a harsh cloth - which defeats the
purpose.

You can test the abraisiveness of a polishing product by polishing a
piece of plexiglass. The scratches on the plexi are a good indicator of
what the polish will do to your metal surface.

Solvol Autosol seems to be a popular product for heavy duty polishing of
chrome - but I will check on the conservation distlist if it is still
recommended. The important thing is to remove the residues. It is still
ranked as a very abraisive product, but the abraisive material is more
uniform than in other products, so causes less scratching.

I found some emails on polishing - perhaps too much on that subject -
so reader be warned and can delete this e-mail now. Below are e-mails on
chrome, removing residues, on polishing plastics and some talk on
polishing brass and copper for those hard core polishing enthousiastics
out there.

Cheers,

Elisabeth
72 Eldo

N.B. Many conservators are afraid of being sued (at least in the states)
so I have just left their initials on the e-mails as I have not asked
for permission to reproduce them.

Subject: Chrome
Date: 01-23-1999

C Uasked "What composes the metal chrome? How can we
clean and preserve an artifact made of chrome?"

Chrome is a layer of Chromium metal that is usually plated onto
steel (and sometimes other metal) objects to provide corrosion
protection and/or an aesthetic appearance. On steel objects there is
usually a layer of copper plating, and sometimes nickel as well,
between the steel and the chrome. This helps to stop the chrome from
peeling off.

Chrome plating is usually fairly hard. To clean it I would first
recommend wiping it with a detergent solution. If it is badly
scratched or corroded then there are "Chrome Polishes" available.
Try your local car parts supplier. Bear in mind, though, that
polishing will remove metal, so there are ethical issues to
consider.

G B
Objects Conservator
__________________________________________
Subject: removing polish residue
Date: 04-01-1994

Je: an old dry toothbrush (you know, only slightly
post-archaeological...). It's fast. Try to mask
surrounding areas in case you get too enthusiastic. Cheers

Conservation DistList Instance

Subject: Removing old polish residue
Date: 04-06-1994

With regard to removing polishing residues for small objects by
running
them through an ultrasonic cleaner, proceed with great caution if the

object is plated. If a plated metal surface does not have perfect
adhesion between the plated layer and the substrate, the energy dose
from the ultrasonic bath can cause the catastrophic delamination. In
my
experience, this delamination starts at the point of delamination and

proceeds by lifting a sinuously winding lines from the beginning
point---a phenomenon called filiform delamination. As far as I have
been able to determine once this has happened, there is not much to
do
about it. This type of delamination happens very fast in an
ultrasonic
cleaning bath and it makes you feel rather helpless. Since, it is
usually not possible to spot areas of poor adhesion in a plated piece
of
metal by simple visual examination, I would not risk putting a plated

object into an ultrasonic bath.

S B

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 04-12-1999

>Can anyone tell me the correct steps to take in cleaning our 1936
>fire engine? I've vacuumed it and plan to wash it with cotton cloths

>dampened with distilled water. Can I, or should I use some type of
>polish to remove old water marks, oxidation, etc.?

Cleaning the exterior of a vehicle without scratching the finish is
a real challenge. Vacuuming with a soft natural bristle brush is
normally the recommended first step in cleaning dirty artifacts but
in this case the brushing action could grind the dirt and grit
particles into the finish. Sometimes the worst of the dirt can be
blown off with compressed air. The best method is to flood the
surface with water and flow the dirt off, but this isn't normally
possible with indoor collections and there is always the danger of
water working its way into crevices that are no longer weatherproof.
The next best thing is to mist small areas (i.e, one square foot at
a time) with a plant atomizer filled with distilled water and a drop
of liquid detergent, followed by wiping with a damp cotton cloth or
chamois. Use as much water as you see fit; enough to soften and
dislodge the dirt while controlling the run-off. Repeat with a clear
water mist and dry with a clean chamois or cotton cloth. Make sure
they're perfectly clean, otherwise they'll act like sandpaper on the
finish.

You can try a number of products to remove water marks and other
stains. Start with a soft white vinyl eraser (e.g.,Staedtler Mars
Plastic 526 50, or Faber-Castell Magic Rub1954). If that doesn't
work, try a commercial polish designed for acrylic plastics like
Plexiglas. Plexi is probably the most vulnerable surface you'll find
in any industrial collection. As a rule, if a product won't damage
Plexi, it won't harm any finish. (We test the abrasiveness of metal
polishes here with squares of clear Plexiglas, by the way.) Try the
Novus cleaners and polishes (Nos.1 & 2) or Meguiar's Mirror Glaze 17
Professional Plastic Cleaner or No. 10 Polish. The latter are
apparently used on modern aircraft canopies and they're popular with
aviation museums.

As for overall oxidation, you may be better off leaving it alone.
Once you start polishing, you could find yourself doing the entire
vehicle in order to get a uniform appearance. It's your call.

G P
Subject: Polishing fire engine
Date: 04-22-1999 >

A range of polishes and anti static cleaning products made
specifically for acrylics and recommended by ICI is manufactured here

in the United Kingdom.

P315 is a silicone free cleaning paste with a pH of 7.2 and is
ideally suited to the cleaning and removal of minor
blemishes,finer flatting marks and scratches. This product can
be used by hand or by a machine polisher.

L105 is a finishing solution which can be used to remove very
fine surface blemishes and minor imperfections, it too can be
applied by hand or a machine polishers.

P615 is a silicone free, pH 7.2 coarser grade paste designed to
be applied in conjunction with water and a machine polisher to
remove deeper abrasive marks.

These products were developed for the acrylics industry and outside
of conservation are primarily used by the aircraft industry and
builders of luxury yachts.

Full technical details are available from our offices here in
England and at Springfield Virginia.

M V
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Brass polishes
Date: 01-13-1998

I would like to add a few thoughts to the thread on the use of brass
polishes and how this information could be conveyed to the general
public. I know C F, and I'm sure that he is well
acquainted (along with every furniture conservator) with the damages
caused by the use of commercial polishes on furniture brasses.

Ct F's and G B's observations on avoiding brass
polishes which contain ammonia are well taken. Ammonia is
incorporated into many commercial cleaning products (including glass
cleaners) because it is a powerful degreaser. However, ammonia has
a deleterious effect on copper-alloys, particularly brasses which
contain more than 15% zinc and other minor alloying elements (such
as lead, tin,and aluminum).

Very small percentages (ppm) of moist ammonia in the presence of air
forms soluble copper complexes and attacks the residual stresses
left in the microstructure from cold-working - hence it's name:
stress corrosion cracking. This form of corrosion is essentially a
form of dealloying. When this process is carried to it's extreme the
copper is redeposited onto the surface of the metal in a porous form
and the zinc may either be left in place as an insoluble compound
or effloresced as as soluble salt. A series of cracks radiate out
from the locus of the corrosion leaving the metal in brittle
condition. J M's poster with SEM photomicrographs at the last
AIC meeting in San Diego demonstrated the phenomenon perfectly.

The trouble with using such ammoniated polishes is that the residues
are almost never completely removed (unless ultrasonic cleaning is
employed), and crevice areas and pits become microscopic collection
areas and the locii for corrosion cells to form. Swab cleaning just
will not do it, if you don't believe me then examine what you think
is clean under the microscope.

Whenever I discuss cleaning options with the general public I always
make my first point a discussion on whether one should polish or
not--in many ways an aesthetic question, but becoming increasingly
important in terms of the issues of patina, attribution, and object
value (something the general public can always relate to!).
Polishing is essentially the refinishing of an object's surface and
should never be pursued without careful thought. If polishing will
be done, then I would only recommend the use of precipitated chalk
as a first step, and perhaps either a gamma or alpha alumina (mixed
with distilled water) as an alternative. I always warn the public
about the fact that such "safe" polishes will take more time and
elbow grease in use when compared to those polishes and dips which
harbor late-night television and seem to work instantaneously.
Still, all polish residues and all of the water must be removed too
(even inert particles can initiate microscopic corrosion cells). For
this I recommend a soft natural bristle brush used in hot distilled
water with a mild detergent and the use of a blow-dryer to evaporate
off the remaining moisture.

D H
Associate Conservator,
Metals & Arms

C F inquired about which proprietary brass/metal polishes
to recommend to the general public. This requires a long answer and
may spark some controversy, since we have to give the public some
straight answers or else we lose credibility. On the other hand, we
should also encourage people to know when they have a historically
valuable object and it is in poor condition that they should find a
professional conservator who is available to assess and treat the
objects. I would be willing to discuss this off list.

My short answer is that I use Simichrome polish as a final polish on
polished metals, after initial cleaning with other tarnish/corrosion
removal chemicals. I remove the Simichrome residue with acetone
and/or mineral spirits. It does contain approximately 13% ammonium
oleate, which is responsible for the ammonia odor. Two other
paste-type metal polishes, Peek and Solvol Autosol, essentially
contain the same ingredients; only the colorants used differ. My
decision to use this product was based on published silver polishing
research, evaluation of the MSDS and product literature, and
empirical experience. I most damage done to metals by ammonia-based
polishes is due to the fact that people do not rinse them off and
completely remove the residues. Perhaps a conservation
scientist/metallurgist has research data that elucidates how and
when the damage occurs: immediately upon application of the ammonia,
or over a period of time if allowed to seep into the porosities of
the alloy. I suppose the effect would depend upon the alloy
composition, degree of surface damage, etc..

P S
Objects Conservator

C F asked for a recommendation for ammonia free brass
polishes.

Perhaps you should avoid brass polishes altogether, and recommend
silver polishes instead. These tend to be less abrasive than brass
polishes. There are several available that are water or IMS based,
which are less hazardous to the user than Brasso that contains white
spirits, which now has a fairly low TLV. You could include in your
talk microphotographs of samples of brass that have been polished
with brass polish and silver polish to demonstrate how much harsher
the brass polishes are.

G B
Objects Conservator

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 Mguzz-@aol.com a *crit :so what is the best?
Hi Everyone,
I wish you all a Very Happy New Year and a great riding season
for 2002!
In answer to the question what is the best polishing product - many
answers. The first is that manufacturers keep changing their formulas
without notice and it is difficult to recommend a product for that reason.
In museums, we recommend using the least abraisive and most inert product
and working your way up. If you just want to clean an
already shiny surface, a solution of precipitated chalk can be sufficient
- that way you don't overpolish the surface. Do not use this on for a heavy
duty polishing job - you will hate my guts. Some people use gentle polishers,
but with a harsh cloth - which defeats the purpose.
You can test the abraisiveness of a polishing product by
polishing a piece of plexiglass. The scratches on the plexi are a
good indicator of what the polish will do to your metal surface.
Solvol Autosol seems to be a popular product for heavy duty polishing
of chrome - but I will check on the conservation distlist if it is still
recommended. The important thing is to remove the residues. It is
still ranked as a very abraisive product, but the abraisive material is
more uniform than in other products, so causes less scratching.
I found some emails on polishing - perhaps too much on that subject
- so reader be warned and can delete this e-mail now. Below are e-mails
on chrome, removing residues, on polishing plastics and some talk
on polishing brass and copper for those hard core polishing enthousiastics
out there.
Cheers,
Elisabeth
 72 Eldo
N.B. Many conservators are afraid of being sued (at least in the states)
so I have just left their initials on the e-mails as I have not asked for
permission to reproduce them.
Subject: Chrome
 Date: 01-23-1999
 C Uasked "What composes the metal chrome? How can we
 clean and preserve an artifact made of chrome?"
 Chrome is a layer of Chromium metal that is usually
plated onto
 steel (and sometimes other metal) objects to provide corrosion
 protection and/or an aesthetic appearance. On steel objects
there is
 usually a layer of copper plating, and sometimes nickel
as well,
 between the steel and the chrome. This helps to stop the
chrome from
 peeling off.
 Chrome plating is usually fairly hard. To clean it I would
first
 recommend wiping it with a detergent solution. If it is
badly
 scratched or corroded then there are "Chrome Polishes"
available.
 Try your local car parts supplier. Bear in mind, though,
that
 polishing will remove metal, so there are ethical issues
to
 consider.
 G B
 Objects Conservator
 __________________________________________
 Subject: removing polish residue
 Date: 04-01-1994
 
 Je: an old dry toothbrush (you know, only slightly
 post-archaeological...). It's fast. Try to mask
 surrounding areas in case you get too enthusiastic. Cheers
 

Conservation DistList Instance
Subject: Removing old polish residue
 Date: 04-06-1994
 
 With regard to removing polishing residues for small objects
by running
 them through an ultrasonic cleaner, proceed with great
caution if the
 object is plated. If a plated metal surface does
not have perfect
 adhesion between the plated layer and the substrate,
the energy dose
 from the ultrasonic bath can cause the catastrophic
delamination. In my
 experience, this delamination starts at the point of delamination
and
 proceeds by lifting a sinuously winding lines from the
beginning
 point---a phenomenon called filiform delamination.
As far as I have
 been able to determine once this has happened, there is
not much to do
 about it. This type of delamination happens very
fast in an ultrasonic
 cleaning bath and it makes you feel rather helpless.
Since, it is
 usually not possible to spot areas of poor adhesion in
a plated piece of
 metal by simple visual examination, I would not risk putting
a plated
 object into an ultrasonic bath.
 S B
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 04-12-1999
 
 >Can anyone tell me the correct steps to take in cleaning
our 1936
 >fire engine? I've vacuumed it and plan to wash
it with cotton cloths
 >dampened with distilled water. Can I, or should I use
some type of
 >polish to remove old water marks, oxidation, etc.?
 Cleaning the exterior of a vehicle without scratching the
finish is
 a real challenge. Vacuuming with a soft natural bristle
brush is
 normally the recommended first step in cleaning dirty
artifacts but
 in this case the brushing action could grind the dirt
and grit
 particles into the finish. Sometimes the worst of the
dirt can be
 blown off with compressed air. The best method is to flood
the
 surface with water and flow the dirt off, but this isn't
normally
 possible with indoor collections and there is always the
danger of
 water working its way into crevices that are no longer
weatherproof.
 The next best thing is to mist small areas (i.e, one square
foot at
 a time) with a plant atomizer filled with distilled water
and a drop
 of liquid detergent, followed by wiping with a damp cotton
cloth or
 chamois. Use as much water as you see fit; enough to soften
and
 dislodge the dirt while controlling the run-off. Repeat
with a clear
 water mist and dry with a clean chamois or cotton cloth.
Make sure
 they're perfectly clean, otherwise they'll act like sandpaper
on the
 finish.
 You can try a number of products to remove water marks
and other
 stains. Start with a soft white vinyl eraser (e.g.,Staedtler
Mars
 Plastic 526 50, or Faber-Castell Magic Rub1954).
If that doesn't
 work, try a commercial polish designed for acrylic plastics
like
 Plexiglas. Plexi is probably the most vulnerable surface
you'll find
 in any industrial collection. As a rule, if a product
won't damage
 Plexi, it won't harm any finish. (We test the abrasiveness
of metal
 polishes here with squares of clear Plexiglas, by the
way.) Try the
 Novus cleaners and polishes (Nos.1 & 2) or Meguiar's
Mirror Glaze 17
 Professional Plastic Cleaner or No. 10 Polish. The latter
are
 apparently used on modern aircraft canopies and they're
popular with
 aviation museums.
 As for overall oxidation, you may be better off leaving
it alone.
 Once you start polishing, you could find yourself doing
the entire
 vehicle in order to get a uniform appearance. It's your
call.
 G P
 Subject: Polishing fire engine
 Date: 04-22-1999 >
 A range of polishes and anti static cleaning products made
 specifically for acrylics and recommended by ICI is manufactured
here
 in the United Kingdom.
 P315 is a silicone free cleaning
paste with a pH of 7.2 and is
 ideally suited to the cleaning
and removal of minor
 blemishes,finer flatting marks
and scratches. This product can
 be used by hand or by a machine
polisher.
 L105 is a finishing solution which
can be used to remove very
 fine surface blemishes and minor
imperfections, it too can be
 applied by hand or a machine polishers.
 P615 is a silicone free, pH 7.2
coarser grade paste designed to
 be applied in conjunction with
water and a machine polisher to
 remove deeper abrasive marks.
 These products were developed for the acrylics industry
and outside
 of conservation are primarily used by the aircraft industry
and
 builders of luxury yachts.
 Full technical details are available from our offices here
in
 England and at Springfield Virginia.
 M V
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Brass polishes
 Date: 01-13-1998
 
 I would like to add a few thoughts to the thread on the
use of brass
 polishes and how this information could be conveyed to
the general
 public. I know C F, and I'm sure that he is well
 acquainted (along with every furniture conservator) with
the damages
 caused by the use of commercial polishes on furniture
brasses.
 Ct F's and G B's observations on avoiding brass
 polishes which contain ammonia are well taken. Ammonia
is
 incorporated into many commercial cleaning products (including
glass
 cleaners) because it is a powerful degreaser. However,
ammonia has
 a deleterious effect on copper-alloys, particularly brasses
which
 contain more than 15% zinc and other minor alloying elements
(such
 as lead, tin,and aluminum).
 Very small percentages (ppm) of moist ammonia in the presence
of air
 forms soluble copper complexes and attacks the residual
stresses
 left in the microstructure from cold-working - hence it's
name:
 stress corrosion cracking. This form of corrosion is essentially
a
 form of dealloying. When this process is carried to it's
extreme the
 copper is redeposited onto the surface of the metal in
a porous form
 and the zinc may either be left in place as an insoluble
compound
 or effloresced as as soluble salt. A series of cracks
radiate out
 from the locus of the corrosion leaving the metal in brittle
 condition. J M's poster with SEM photomicrographs at the
last
 AIC meeting in San Diego demonstrated the phenomenon perfectly.
 The trouble with using such ammoniated polishes is that
the residues
 are almost never completely removed (unless ultrasonic
cleaning is
 employed), and crevice areas and pits become microscopic
collection
 areas and the locii for corrosion cells to form.
Swab cleaning just
 will not do it, if you don't believe me then examine what
you think
 is clean under the microscope.
 Whenever I discuss cleaning options with the general public
I always
 make my first point a discussion on whether one should
polish or
 not--in many ways an aesthetic question, but becoming
increasingly
 important in terms of the issues of patina, attribution,
and object
 value (something the general public can always relate
to!).
 Polishing is essentially the refinishing of an object's
surface and
 should never be pursued without careful thought.
If polishing will
 be done, then I would only recommend the use of precipitated
chalk
 as a first step, and perhaps either a gamma or alpha alumina
(mixed
 with distilled water) as an alternative. I always
warn the public
 about the fact that such "safe" polishes will take more
time and
 elbow grease in use when compared to those polishes and
dips which
 harbor late-night television and seem to work instantaneously.
 Still, all polish residues and all of the water must be
removed too
 (even inert particles can initiate microscopic corrosion
cells). For
 this I recommend a soft natural bristle brush used in
hot distilled
 water with a mild detergent and the use of a blow-dryer
to evaporate
 off the remaining moisture.
 
 D H
 Associate Conservator,
 Metals & Arms
 
C F inquired about which proprietary brass/metal polishes
 to recommend to the general public. This requires
a long answer and
 may spark some controversy, since we have to give the
public some
 straight answers or else we lose credibility. On
the other hand, we
 should also encourage people to know when they have a
historically
 valuable object and it is in poor condition that they
should find a
 professional conservator who is available to assess and
treat the
 objects. I would be willing to discuss this off
list.
 My short answer is that I use Simichrome polish
as a final polish on
 polished metals, after initial cleaning with other tarnish/corrosion
 removal chemicals. I remove the Simichrome residue
with acetone
 and/or mineral spirits. It does contain approximately
13% ammonium
 oleate, which is responsible for the ammonia odor.
Two other
 paste-type metal polishes, Peek and Solvol Autosol, essentially
 contain the same ingredients; only the colorants used
differ. My
 decision to use this product was based on published silver
polishing
 research, evaluation of the MSDS and product literature,
and
 empirical experience. I most damage done to metals
by ammonia-based
 polishes is due to the fact that people do not rinse them
off and
 completely remove the residues. Perhaps a conservation
 scientist/metallurgist has research data that elucidates
how and
 when the damage occurs: immediately upon application of
the ammonia,
 or over a period of time if allowed to seep into the porosities
of
 the alloy. I suppose the effect would depend upon
the alloy
 composition, degree of surface damage, etc..
 P S
 Objects Conservator
 C F asked for a recommendation for ammonia free brass
 polishes.
 Perhaps you should avoid brass polishes altogether, and
recommend
 silver polishes instead. These tend to be less abrasive
than brass
 polishes. There are several available that are water or
IMS based,
 which are less hazardous to the user than Brasso that
contains white
 spirits, which now has a fairly low TLV. You could include
in your
 talk microphotographs of samples of brass that have been
polished
 with brass polish and silver polish to demonstrate how
much harsher
 the brass polishes are.
 G B
 Objects Conservator
 
 
 

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--------------52BEDEFB4C7E3CA209BC9261--

Subject: Re: chrome and steel wool

Author: Alacritas

Date: Jan 1, 2002, 5:26 PM

Post ID: 1709272879

Entire thread: