Cleaning coins, nuts, bolts & other small metal items

[smidsy]

What do you recommend is the best method of removing tarnish etc. from sixpence coins.
I've tried soaking them in vinegar, bleach (with some success), soda crystals and paint thinners. I have quite a few that are really blackened, and don't look good in the jackpot window or escalator.

Any advice is appreciated.

[special when lit]

Coca Cola. The cheaper, the better.

[smidsy]

Thanks for the cola tip.
It might work well with copper coins, but not much success on sixpences. Didn't even go for the very cheap cola (17p ltr)
tried the expensive 42p ltr .
Soaked overnight, some of the tarnish on some coins has come off.

Going to try a sonic cleaner borrowed off a friend. Don't know what to use in it though.
Any other ideas
Thanks..

[slotsoffun]

Tomato Ketchup buffs copper coins to a high shine, not sure on 6d. Just my 2 pennies worth!!!!!!!!

[hutto]

Duraglit from Wilkos and tons of elbo grease I'm afraid.

[wembleylion]

Some sixpences were real silver and they tarnish to black so something like Silverdip might do the job.
An old jeweller friend of mine used to clean jewellery by lightly simmering it in Bold washing powder for about five minutes. My wife occasionally cleans her engagement ring this way and it certainly makes it sparkle. If you try this on jewellery make absolutely sure that any ‘stones’ are not plastic or glued in.

John

[jingle]

Try the chrome polish stuff
It's in a gold brown ish tube
Think it's called autoglene or nr that
This stuff removes rust easy
So sure it will shine them

[smidsy]

Thanks for the tips. The sixpences are all after 1947, so cupro nickel.
Tried 'Dirtwash' metal polish, only seems to polish the high lights and doesn't clean all the surface.
Think it may need some kind of acid, so back in the drawer for now.

Cheer's for the advice..

[aristomatic]

Sounds more like you are having a BBQ than cleaning........
Could just buy a load of 1967 new uncirculated sixpences, then sell the sixpences you have on ebay - difference in cost but save you all the elbow grease & cost of the metal polish.
Or you could invest in a vibrating tumbler and use that instead.

GP

[pennymachines]

I use an old dental ultrasonic cleaner for degreasing metal for home plating. This one is designed for cleaning coins with this cleaning fluid. How effective it is, I can't say. Another method would be electrolysis. It should be said that all of the methods suggested so far are unsuitable for rare/valuable coins.
Coin Cleaning.

I think aristomatic is right - if you must have shiny, save yourself a lot of bother and buy uncirculated coins.

[coppinpr]

Topic merged - Site Admin.

Have we ever discussed ultra sonic cleaners on the forum? I don't think so. Sure someone will correct me. Anyway, my wife has been a jeweller all her working life and uses ultra sonic cleaners to spruce up all kinds of precious metal, plus watches, and some gems. I've often thought it might be of use to us in our hobby.
This week the Aldi supermarket chain have ultra sonic cleaners for sale for just £23... so I bought one (my wife having said they look to be OK). The Aristo Nevada I've just bought arrived with about 50 6d coins stuck to the bottom of the cash tray and covered in hard green mildew, so I put about 25 in the tray and switched it on. I must say it works a treat cleaning coins. These were unusable, now they are fine (see before and after photo). (I merged the photos, so don't say it's shrunk BP).

Feeling full of fun I put a slide and spring from the same machine into the tray and boy did that come up like new. I'm not saying this is the answer to all cleaning problems but it does get the crap off the things I've tried so far. It cleans the threads on screws and bolts a treat. Just put 20 or so in the tray and switch on for 4 mins - no hassle at all.
The box says also good for watches (water tight ones) spectacles and CDs.

[widget2k4]

Did you only use water in the cleaner Paul or did you use a cleaning solution ?
I used to use a cleaning solution for doing motorcycle carbs and bits and pieces and they came out like brand new.

[badpenny]

Impressive, do you have to buy expensive chemicals as well?

[coppinpr]

Just water and a little washing up liquid if the stuff is real bad.
Here is a photo of the cleaner. It has a built in timer and light.

[cheeky]

Topic merged - site Admin.

Okay, so I literally have thousands of them but some are really filthy and clogged with grime. What is the best way to keep them nice and shiny? The pennies I mean. Coin collectors please look away....

[coppinpr]

Have you looked at my post on ultra sonic cleaners? Available from Lidl, Audi or Maplin for about £25. Would do about 20 coins at a time. Makes a very good job with no hard work.

[cheeky]

Ha ha. No I hadn't seen the post or the subject as I started a new thread. Honestly, you couldn't make it up. Two people raising the same subject at the same time? I think something spooky is going on!

[smidsy]

I think there is a big difference in cleaning copper coins and cupro nickel ones.
I bought one of the Aldi ultra sonic cleaners, and tried to clean heavily tarnished sixpences, but with little success.
I have used washing up liquid, bleach, vanish, vinegar and soda crystals in the ultra sonic cleaner. It does clean
small amounts of verdigris and general dirt, but nothing seems to really work on badly tarnished tanners.

Is there an acid that's safe to use in a sonic cleaner

I found that soaking old pennies in vinegar or lemon juice works well.

Cheers..

[slotalot]

Why not try a rock tumbler with some DRY sand, you could even make your own.

[aristomatic]

I posted earlier on this merged thread that options included selling current dirty coins and then buying uncirculated clean coins or investing in a vibrating tumbler.

There are many types of tumbler available, mine has a large capacity so is great for dumping large amounts of dirty coins and small trim pieces and assorted nuts bolts and screw etc. However, they are an expense, so think whether you are actually going to use it sufficiently to warrant the purchase price (and include shipping cost).

It may financially be better to sell current coins and buy uncirculated to replace?
If you do decide to purchase a tumbler, check whether its 120 or 240 volts. Lots of machines from lots of suppliers are on 120 volts. I bought mine from a well known UK pinball supplier dealer who was selling the tumbler I wanted with UK mains plug and on 240v with media at a great price. Ask the supplier to throw your first media in with the deal for the machine, as it will probably not cost the supplier any more to ship with the tumbler.

GP