Help cleaning a crotal bell

M40bnk

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2017
Messages
323
Location
New Kensington
Hey everyone so I dug this crotal bell this past weekend and it has a crusty layer on it and I was looking for some ideas on how to clean it so I can display it. D4467E95-AD67-41A7-9C83-DB8FAE09BED4.jpg
 
Last edited:
All the ones I have found simply wipe clean with some water. These are made of tombac. yours seems to have the tombac color.

Hard to tell with yours since the photo is out of focus. Try taking another photo with the camera slightly farther away (note the cloth is in focus).

I would start with just washing and scrub with a soft brush.
 
All the ones I have found simply wipe clean with some water. These are made of tombac. yours seems to have the tombac color.



Hard to tell with yours since the photo is out of focus. Try taking another photo with the camera slightly farther away (note the cloth is in focus).



I would start with just washing and scrub with a soft brush.



Yeah that’s it lol tombac not steel. Yet they were also made of brass to so it depends on the makeup for how to clean.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have found a soak in distilled water helps dissolve that mineral layer you are struggling with. Let the distilled water do the job with very little light brushing or depending on patina condition you can remove it if it isn't stable.
 
Thanks for the clearer photo.
That is a crusty crotal bell. Looks like concreted soil and some rust staining.

Bamboo skewer may be helpful to pick away some of the soil. Other than that go with what the others suggested.
 
Back
Top Bottom