Posted 10 years ago
packrat-pl…
(310 items)
Here are some of the old military buttons I have found metal detecting over the years. Several of these are Civil War era buttons. They were really cruddy when I dug them, but I have a process for cleaning items like these.
Thank you very much katherinescollections, Jewels, & officialfuel......
Thank you very much petey.....
Thank you very much vetraio50.......................
Thank you very much walksoftly.........................
You use ultrasonic?
No, electrolysis, I made it from an old cell phone charger....
Would like to know more about your method. Straight or reverse? Solution etc.?
There are lots of YouTube videos on how to do it. It is very easy, cheap, and it works. Mine cost virtually nothing. The thrift stores have tubs full of obsolete cell phone chargers for next to nothing, a glass container, water, salt, two alligator clips, and you are ready to go.
Thank you very much blunderbuss2 & ron1939..............
Are you using a copper or brass plate on the + side?
Nice finds!
I am not a fan of the "cleaning"-- the color on some of the buttons looks odd (to me). Many collectors will shy away from dug items that are cleaned in this manner.
scott
Scott,
You are absolutely correct about the cleaning, I completely agree with you. These are just to put in my case of "detector finds." If they were of any real value, or something scarce, I would not have done it....
I am not recommending cleaning anything.
beautiful!!!
Thank you SEAN68!!!!!!!!!
Thank you rniederman.........
Glad to hear that packrat.
I have seen some very valuable Confederate buttons ruined through a "cleaning" treatment.
scott
I've been collecting C.W. items since the mid 50's. Back then, we didn't think anything about cleaning or even polishing. Now, in the past,say 30 yrs., collectors want them "green". Guess when I started collecting, they weren't so old & it didn't seem to matter! To be honest, the change in attitude caught me a bit off guard. Live long enough & I guess we learn! LOL
Thank you very much aghcollect...and thank you for your comments blunderbuss2, & scottvez. Again, scottvez is absolutely correct about the coin and relic cleaning, many people with good intentions have seriously diminished the value of historical items by trying to make them look better. A rare coin cleaned the wrong way, or cleaned at all, could turn it into gold or silver scrap value only. I do clean some of my coin finds, but not any with any real numismatic value, just ones for my case.
Thank you very much musikchoo.....
Awesome collection, I got my metal detector for Father's Day, haven't found much yet.
Thank you very much Trey, & ho2cultcha. I am glad you got one...you will enjoy it...have patience, there is lots of good stuff out there to be found...
Thank you very much pops52, Trey, ho2cultcha, & kingshawn.............