This ofcourse is the wappen from the generals helme that I am working on at present. This is the most heavily corroded, patinated wappen that I have ever seen. Consequently, I thought that it deserved a separate posting. There are 2 major concerns,....getting the corrosion off without affecting the gilding and second protecting the enamel of the Garde star. The worst corrosion and I don't usually use that word is found on the circular trichter top that screws into the column, the spine and the upper half of the wappen. It is like whatever caused this, came from above the helmet.....shining down perhaps?? I wonder if this has anything to do with the federbusch?? 
Anyway, I quoted the owner a cost based on 5hrs work to clean all fittings, I am already 4 hrs into the wappen alone and have not touched the chin scales yet...no, I am not looking for more money. The wappen is still not completely cleaned and I am using the brass clock cleaning solution and Hagerty's to try and slowly clean things up. The worst corrosion had a green tinge to it which I have never seen before. As always, some pictures to back up the words. Let's refresh our memories with some pics of what the fittings looked like in the beginning:
Pay close attention to the trichter top...note the grey/green colour, that stuff is rough to the touch.
The visor trim and chin scales have the normal hundred year patina that we are all used to.
A close up of the wappen and again, we see that grey/green patina going across the top of the wappen cutting it in half. Look closely at the star rays, the top ones are greenish, the bottom ones are not. You can even see a difference in the white metal circle, top green, bottom, not. The bottom half of the wappen and stern have cleaned up normally using the methods mentioned. The top half has proved to be a real Bitch, and is still not done! I am convinced that this has something to do with the federbusch. The line between heavy corrosion and normal patina goes right where the feathers would hang down.
The spine, heavy patination but this has cleaned up nicely. Continued.....
Anyway, I quoted the owner a cost based on 5hrs work to clean all fittings, I am already 4 hrs into the wappen alone and have not touched the chin scales yet...no, I am not looking for more money. The wappen is still not completely cleaned and I am using the brass clock cleaning solution and Hagerty's to try and slowly clean things up. The worst corrosion had a green tinge to it which I have never seen before. As always, some pictures to back up the words. Let's refresh our memories with some pics of what the fittings looked like in the beginning:
Pay close attention to the trichter top...note the grey/green colour, that stuff is rough to the touch.
The visor trim and chin scales have the normal hundred year patina that we are all used to.
A close up of the wappen and again, we see that grey/green patina going across the top of the wappen cutting it in half. Look closely at the star rays, the top ones are greenish, the bottom ones are not. You can even see a difference in the white metal circle, top green, bottom, not. The bottom half of the wappen and stern have cleaned up normally using the methods mentioned. The top half has proved to be a real Bitch, and is still not done! I am convinced that this has something to do with the federbusch. The line between heavy corrosion and normal patina goes right where the feathers would hang down.
The spine, heavy patination but this has cleaned up nicely. Continued.....
