Metals
Before
During the fall of 2022, I treated a tin coffin decoration at the University of Delaware. The decoration had severe corrosion and concretions which led to the object being very brittle. The decoration was in poor condition overall. It was not structurally intact due to several cracks, losses, and the missing lower half.
During
After wet cleaning the decoration, I used a scalpel to mechanically remove corrosion and dirt. During this process, the brittleness of the decoration began to compromise the cleaning process, so I used Japanese tissue paper and Paraloid B-72 to reinforce the weak areas and back the entire decoration.
Before
During the fall of 2022, I treated a harmonica plate at the University of Delaware. The harmonica plate had several layers of surface dirt, corrosion, and was bent out of shape. The plate was structurally intact; however, the aesthetic appearance and functionality were compromised by the accumulated corrosion.
During
After wet cleaning the plate, I used a scalpel to mechanically remove the corrosion and dirt. I then continued cleaning with 50:50 Ethanol:DI water, a rough brush, a scalpel, and a fiberglass brush. Finally, I coated the entire plate in a thin layer of B-72 as a protective layer to prevent further damage.
