Cleaned a buffalo nickel for the first time...

[tanacat]

I experimented last night (with some really old grungy Jefferson nickels first) using ketchup, barb-b-que sauce and Braggs liquid aminos. I was going to take Aloldstuff's advice, but I was out of worcester sauce lol and here are my results:

I liked the result of the Bragg's best, so I soaked my 1924 buff all day long, checking on it often and turning it over (only worked on the top half each time)

Before:

Scrubbed some of the red off w/toothbrush and dishwashing liquid & then soaked it a few more hours:

Finally after about 8 hours soaking and a few toothbrushin's the red color is gone

Then scrubbed it with a plastic dish scrubby pad and dishwashing liquid for the shiny effect:

I think I like the results :thinkingabout: I didn't think it was possible... I thought the red was all the way through the buffs :shocked04:stretcher: Not sure if I'll do this to the other 4 buffs I've found so far. I actually like the red color with a little dirt outlining profiles--- because they're earthy, like Native Americans... :groovy:

I'm curious what a coin dealer will say about the value- I'm not too worried about the value of buffs, it's more for display purposes, to shine them up like that. I'll take it in tomorrow, not tell him what I did and see what he says & let ya'll know lol

 

[switch]

That is amazing. I thought nickels were irreversible when they turned that color. mg:

 

[aloldstuff]

great process and results. Thanks for posting before and after pictures.

 

[tanacat]

It is a little pitted though.... when you look through the loupe. All of the condiments seemed to do that though. The ketchup seemed to have the worst effect- I didn't post close-ups of the Jefferson nickels.

Btw, the Bragg's is really good on kale, turnip or mustard greens :yes:

 

[milco]

Good results to show off some old nickels, thanks for posting.

 

[coinnut]

It is a little pitted though.... when you look through the loupe. All of the condiments seemed to do that though. The ketchup seemed to have the worst effect- I didn't post close-ups of the Jefferson nickels.

Usually the pits were already there and hidden by the corrosion. When you removed the corrosion you expose the pits. I'm not sure if short term soaking would cause pits. If it did we would not have much of a stomach left lol

 

[tanacat]

I'm not sure if short term soaking would cause pits. If it did we would not have much of a stomach left lol

rofl Good point!

 

[Mudder]

thumbsup01 thumbsup01 thumbsup01 I like it, and thanks for sharing.

 

[midas]

Wow. Great job. Went from a throw away to an AU.
Is Bragg Liquid Aminos only a southern thing. Have never seen it in the stores in New England.
The best cleaning I've ever seen on a rusty buffalo.

 

[Ill Digger]

Wow. Great job. Went from a throw away to an AU.
Is Bragg Liquid Aminos only a southern thing. Have never seen it in the stores in New England.
The best cleaning I've ever seen on a rusty buffalo.

Same, same?
First off WOW!! That is the best clean job on a nickle I've ever seen!! Nice job!!
Second :eyebrow: What the heck is liquid aminos ? lol Never heard of it :dontknow:

Btw, the Bragg's is really good on kale, turnip or mustard greens :yes:

Third.....I don't know what that stuff is either lol J/K
:thinkingabout: Is it like a vinegar ? :dontknow: :->
What ever it is it works great!! thumbsup01
Thanks for sharing!!
You might have to send me some of that stuff :yes: |) |)
:embarrassed: lol After a closer look at the pic I see its a soy sauce alt. ?

 

[tanacat]

lol I think it's basically soy sauce, it is soy protein... It dawned on me that I might be breaking the rules on here by advertising it :thinkingabout: but I think it's pretty hard to find- a Kentucky thing? Not sure... I get it at our local health foods store. I might try genuine 'soy sauce' next and see if same results.

 

[Vito]

Hi Tanacat. Just wanna say thank you for this great tip. Works great with Kikkoman soy sauce, too.

When I read your post my two red coins came ini mind. One was a half mark 1980 (50 Pfennig) which I found on the nothsea beach (salt water), and the other was a buffalo nickle which was a gift from Goat Rancher aka Steve ( very nice friend from Indiana).

I didn't want to ruin the buffalo so the first try was with the half mark. Soaked the coins for 24 hrs, flipped them periodically and used a tooth-brush, too.

What I did not like was the frosted look. Thought the chrome polish from my bike will do great on the coins, too.

Here are some pics....

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But in the pics you will not see the gloss; and for this I made a short vid.

1916 Buffalo Nickel polishing

Again, thanks for the tip, Tanacat.

 

[tanacat]

Cool! That was a good video thumbsup01 I still haven't done my other buffs. Maybe I'll try some other coins I hadn't thought of before... some foreign. It's neat seeing the transformation. I always did like chemistry lol

 

[Ill Digger]

Well after seeing Tana nickle transfermation I had to give it a try. It just so happened I happened to find 3 buffs that weekend
Here's the picture I took after finding them and just a little water and a tooth brush cleaning.
For the trial run I used the 1927 buff pictured in the middle. (the green one lol )

After about 10 or 12 hours of flipping, brushing, and soaking. I just used regular soy sauce :dontknow:
It really brings out the damage :-\ But it defiatly cleans'em up nice! lol

The rear was in a little better shape and turned out alot nicer.

Thanks for the tip Tawna! lol thumbsup01 |)

 

[tanacat]

:shocked04: Wow it takes the green off too! I wonder what it would do to copper. I'm thinking of the grungy old wheats I have... just to experiment lol

That looks better Tim- esp the buffalo side. Too bad its so pitted on the obverse. Are you going to do more of them?

 

[switch]

:shocked04: Wow it takes the green off too! I wonder what it would do to copper.

I bet coinnut would know :grin:

 

[Ill Digger]

:shocked04: Wow it takes the green off too! I wonder what it would do to copper. I'm thinking of the grungy old wheats I have... just to experiment lol

That looks better Tim- esp the buffalo side. Too bad its so pitted on the obverse. Are you going to do more of them?

:dontknow: Maybe on some of the slick dates. Mybe it'll bring out the date on some of them :dontknow: lol

I bet coinnut would know :grin:

:dontknow: One way to find out thumbsup01 lol
I'll give it a shot :yes:
I'll just use a crusty,cruddy old wheatie and we'll see thumbsup01
Later though...I'm going huntin' now :drool: lol

 

[tanacat]

Later though...I'm going huntin' now :drool: lol

You lucky dog :envious: Good luck!

 

[RaZR]

I'm trying the soy sauce on my V nickel. And i made a holder for scrubbing it off with the brush. I took a piece of wood about 3/4 of a inch thick an inch and a quarter wide and about 6 long. I used a 7/8 spade bit to drill a space the thickness of a nickel near the end of the wood. Now the nickel sits in the space while i scrub it.

 

[tanacat]

That's a good idea! My hand cramps sometimes when I'm cleanin' the finds... that'd be good for holding something really grungy, like when you have to clean with a toothpick in the crevices.