How to clean bullion

[Pack Rat]

Hey gang,

I have two questions for you all.

1. What would be the best method to clean this item without damaging the bullion or other parts? I have no idea what made the stain.
2. What time frame would this item have been used?

I collect Army insignia, so I hope some Navy guys can help me.

EDIT: Pictures are lost

Thank you in advance for any help,

-D

[gpw_42]

Pack Rat,

 

I opened this topic hoping to learn something, and as the first person to respond, will look forward to what others have to say.

 

Some thoughts:

1) Not my area of collecting, but that's an attractive Master CPO insignia. Too bad it's stained!

2) I recommend just leaving it alone.

3) If you absolutely HAVE to do something, I'd maybe dunk the stained edge in some Woolite/water combination, then rub against a clean white towel. Idea is to not let the water/chemical get onto the bullion, which will cause it to tarnish faster. Start in that upper corner to see if your cleaner is effective.

 

I think I'd stay away from anything like OxyClean, which might be effective on the fabric, but will facilitate oxidation (tarnishing) of the metal in the bullion.

 

Good luck,

Thrasher

[teufelhunde.ret]

Here are some of the many threads with posts on the topic of bullion cleaning - found by using the key words in the advance search feature.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...leaning+bullion

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...ing,and,bullion

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...ing,and,bullion

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...ing,and,bullion

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...ing,and,bullion

[Pack Rat]

Thank you for the links and advise.

 

Cheers,

 

-D

[topdcnut]

This style of bullion is back, if I were you I would call the folks at oxy clean. It is not for use on fibers like wool and leather they can and will let you know how it will react with bullion. If they say it is fine it will do a great job on the cloth.

 

John

[sigsaye]

This style of bullion is back, if I were you I would call the folks at oxy clean. It is not for use on fibers like wool and leather they can and will let you know how it will react with bullion. If they say it is fine it will do a great job on the cloth.

 

John

This rating badge is from the late '80s/early '90s. It is synthetic bulion on polyester. We just sent them through the dry cleaners. BTW this is a Command Master Chief rate for the Dinner Dress White Jacket.

 

Steve Hesson

[Pack Rat]

This rating badge is from the late '80s/early '90s. It is synthetic bulion on polyester. We just sent them through the dry cleaners. BTW this is a Command Master Chief rate for the Dinner Dress White Jacket.

 

Steve Hesson

 

This isn't worn on the jumper whites?

[Lee Ragan]

This isn't worn on the jumper whites?

Chief Petty Offficers don't wear jumpers. No bullion rating badges were ever worn on white jumpers either.

[sigsaye]

This isn't worn on the jumper whites?

No, it is worn on an optional Diner Dress Jacket. It is 100% synthetic.

 

Steve Hesson

[AndyUSMC]

I spoke with the owner of a Uniform shop here in Pensacola about this very subject. What he told me was in the old days they used a highly toxic solution to clean the bullion rates. Needless to say with the advent of synthetic bullion and tough EPA standards this all became a thing of the past. As other members have said. It is probably best to leave them alone.

[sigsaye]

I spoke with the owner of a Uniform shop here in Pensacola about this very subject. What he told me was in the old days they used a highly toxic solution to clean the bullion rates. Needless to say with the advent of synthetic bullion and tough EPA standards this all became a thing of the past. As other members have said. It is probably best to leave them alone.

When we were still wearing real bullion, the uniforms were generally dry cleaned, and the bullion was let go, meaning it just tarnished. If you wanted to clean the bullion, it was recommended to rub it with vinigar. I don't know of anyone that actually did that, but that was the suggestion.

 

Since this is basically cleaning the white fabric that the bullion is on, I would just wash it or have it drycleaned (the current recommended method of cleaning), as you are not going to hurt the synthetic bullion.

 

Steve Hesson