Button Help

[Mike(PA)]

Hey everyone, this is the first and only button I have ever found, I found it in my yard about 3 months ago and just cleaned it off with water. It is a 1830's era militiamans rifle button. My question is how do you clean your buttons. This button is worth 50$ so i dont want to damage it by a bad cleaning method. So what methonds do you guys use to clean ur button. Any info would be appreciated. Thanx HH.

 

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[The General]

Hi Mike,
I only use distilled luke warm water and a soft old toothbrush, and rinse and let dry. That is the way I leave it, you do not want to discolor the original patina, that is what keeps it.s value to any collector should you ever decide to sell it.
Don't try to shine it up and make it look new!

some use lemon Juice and let it soak, but you have to keep a close eye on it or it will eat it up and discolor it badly. I would not recommend doing that.

Hope this helps.

 

[mavrick03]

i have a friend who uses dow scrubbing bubbles to clean his civil war buttons usually clean up real nice with no discoloration




Mav

 

[Rich in Houston]

That one is clean enough ! Leave it ...

 

[trk5capt]

That one is clean enough ! Leave it ... AMEN. trk5capt...

 

[montepollock]

Thats a nice find,extrmely clean.It may have been,gilded and cleaning,beyond Soap and water would not improve the appearence I think,and would detract from the value.I,d be proud to display it in the nice condition it is in.here are pics of 2 C.W eagles that were cleaned with salt and vinegar and as you can see they are somewhat hazy looking even after 4 years after cleaning.I wouldnt reccomend it in your case.
Best regards and happy detecting,Monte