Water damaged / rusted Morgans (how to restore)

Acetone won't hurt, but it only reacts with organic material, except in one obscure experiment using environmental factors that rarely occurs on earth on a grant from a company wanting to replace the use of acetone to clean copper pipes before soldering them .Most ignored it and still use acetone. IMO of course, Jim

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Oooooooooo...I'm gonna tell Doug...

 

You would tell on another chemist????? Sad,

Jim

 

OK...I take it back

 

It's OK, Doug will just make me take some time off I need that time for the nice weather between summer broil and winter freeze to clean up the outside area.

Jim

 

Quick thought, lemon juice is acidic enough to attack rust, but shouldn't harm silver.

 

I haven't taught any chemistry this year as the Anat/Physio teacher took a medical leave and I took a Full Time temp position to cover her classes. That maxed out my earnings with retirement until next fall and I will have to paid some back anyway
But it is a heck of a lot of fun!!

jim

 

Interesting! It's a selective chelating agent, which sounds an awful lot like our beloved VerdiCare. @BadThad?

If that's what it is, it should be safe on silver, although it'd probably take a long time to go through a gallon jug -- especially since this case (iron rust on a non-steel coin) is pretty unusual.

 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Evapo-Ru...ZPQdg7hAjlEoRdDR6crR5x9zHHO7whlMaAlPaEALw_wcB

 

Interesting experiment,looking forward to results. I say do the 1/10th strength dip.

 

Welp, looks like I'll be wandering by Walmart sometime this week for a pick-up. I've got some rusty steelies and nickels (?!) from a big junk lot I bought a few years ago, and I've got PLENTY of other rusty stuff that could use some attention. Might even see if it can take off a couple of rust stains on countertops.

 

Don't add acid after midnight!!

 

Thanks. I had read that a glass bowl & heavily ventilation are recommended, but it's worth remembering that other collectors with a similar problem may come across this thread years down the road.

A quick update on the distilled water soaking method: no noticeable change after 24 hours.

 

Status of the distilled water soak after 24 hours:

 

I'm trying the third Morgan (an 1885-O) in Acetone. I was surprised to find that Acetone is sold in steel containers, as I thought it would be sold in non-reactive glass. I guess they're stainless steel and it's a compromise between reactivity and fragility (ie: customers are more likely to break a glass jar on the shelves than the acetone is to react with stainless steel in the weeks or months between manufacture and sale).

Here are the "before" pictures for this coin:

 

10 minutes in Acetone showed virtually no result. Placed in about 2 ounces of liquid (enough to completely immerse the coin, at 60 degrees F, in the shade next to an open window (for ventilation).

I'm setting the timer for another 20 minutes.

 

20 more minutes (30 minute mark), no significant changes. I'm beginning to wonder if Acetone is ineffective against rust.

Resetting the timer for another 30 minutes (1 hour total).

Unless there is a sudden change, I'll keep documenting at:
10 minutes
30 minutes
60 minutes
2 hours
4 hours
10 hours
24 hours

 

60 minute acetone soak:

 

Suggested use from the manufacturer's fact sheet:
• Engines • Automotive • Turbines • Tools • Manufacturing • Paint Prep • Marine/Boat Parts • Ship Yards • Construction • Machine Shops
No mention of silver coins - be careful