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 Replies: 8 / Views: 5,081 |
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New Member
United States
3 Posts |
Is it okay if you clean your bronze and copper coins with Bar Keeper's Friend? Will it do any harm to the coins? will it make the coin look the way it did when it came fresh out of the press (or almost)?
Please give all your opinions on cleaning coins with Bar Keeper's Friend.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
No, it's not ok at all. Take it this way, would you bath yourself in hydrochloric acid? Sure it does eat away all your sweat, so it must do a good job. Right?
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New Member
 United States
3 Posts |
so is your answer saying that it is okay to use BKF?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
Bar Keeper's Friend = kryptonite for your coins.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19930 Posts |
Strong acids like this will destroy any numismatic value. The primary ingredient for this product according to their MSDS is oxalic acid, a VERY harsh organic acid: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalic_acidGood for keeping your bar clean, but bad for coins. It will cause permanent damage to the surface. Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Pillar of the Community
United States
860 Posts |
Darkshadow33,
The very dominant idea of collecting coins is to do no harm to the coin. Yes, there are some products which are used by a low percentage to reduce toning, pvc contamination, or verdigris, but they run the risk of going too far and creating a coin which is damaged or shows artificial surface changes, both of which are detrimental to the value of the coin. BKF is basically just citric acid, a weak organic acid, but if concentrated enough and left on long enough would change to color to one easily recognized as artificial.
Take some old cents from circulation and try it and compare with non treated. The let them age for a short while and compare again. Removing the patina with the acid leaves the underlying metal susceptible to staining and corrosion.
Jim
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Pillar of the Community
United States
860 Posts |
They use Oxalic acid in the powder and citric acid in their liquid BKF, but both are bad.
Jim
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
No, it's not ok at all. Take it this way, would you bath yourself in hydrochloric acid? Sure it does eat away all your sweat, so it must do a good job. Right?
Not sure HCl would work well on some sweat on the people I've met. I would suspect Sulfuric would work best on sweat. Quote:
Is it okay if you clean your bronze and copper coins with Bar Keeper's Friend? Will it do any harm to the coins? will it make the coin look the way it did when it came fresh out of the press (or almost)?
You should try it. But on a really lousy, dirty, worthless coin. I would suspect it may make your coin look like a Martini.  After that stuff your coins should look the way they were when brand new for a shinny surface. And they will probably not be full of those silly details the Mint puts on them either.  |
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Moderator
 United States
16677 Posts |
 Don't do it! swcoin.ecrater.com
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Replies: 8 / Views: 5,081 |
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Posted 10/18/2008 10:03 pm
