Restoring light corrosion

[profchris]

I've just "invested" in a century-old banjo, which of course is bristling with metal hardware. From the pics (it has yet to arrive) it looks as if humidity in the attic where it lived has very lightly corroded the hardware surfaces. I guess they are probably nickel plated.

Any hints where to start on restoration? The hooks/screw threads clearly can't be polished up easily, so some kind of soaking to begin with? If so, in what?

I can live without new-shiny, but a hint of gleam would be nice.

 

[NazNomad]

Soak the parts in vinegar (or vinegar/water solution) overnight.

 

[AES]

Agree with NazNomad, BUT - vinegar (especially the white, cleaning variety, rather than brown, malt vinegar) will most probably be fine on the nuts and bolts, but on "large" plated sheet metal parts that are visible when playing, you may well end up with flakes of plating coming off in your hand, leaving you worse off than before.

1st off, inspect the sheet metal parts closely and look carefully (bright light & magnifying glass?) for any areas, especially around sharp edges, where the corrosion has penetrated down to the parent metal.

2nd, if no "rusty edges" etc, seen, try vinegar on one part which is not too visible (if such a thing exists on your instrument).

If you do find corrosion deep enough to make vinegar a risk of removing the plating, try,

A) Careful, not too hard, MANUAL polishing with something like Solvol Autosol. That may well bring it back well enough that it doesn't notice too much from more than a foot or two away, OR;

B) If that doesn't work, find some 3M metalised self adhesive tape - available in "silk" or "glossy" finishes, ali, SS, and chrome finishes, and in several widths. Get a width to suit the widest part of plated metal you want to cover (IF poss), silk or gloss as you choose, but silk finish shows up less afterwards. Clean thoroughly with acetone, getting the surface as smooth as possible, NO loose flakes. Use a hair drier to warm the plated part, and an old smooth teaspoon as a burnisher, start at one end and carefully spread the tape along the length of the plated part, a bit at a time, warming and smoothing down with the spoon as you go. Overlap around the back edges and trim off with a knife. For the 1st try you may need to go at it a 2nd time, (!!!) but you'll soon learn NOT to kink the tape!

I did this on a bathroom tap which SWMBO particularly wanted to save and it's still there, looking good after about three years daily use. NOT easy, but do-able.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

AES

 

[profchris]

Thanks both. I'll post a picture when the "patient" arrives in case that suggests any other ideas.

Also have to decide what level to restore the woodwork to, but that's for a different sub-forum.

 

[AES]

As a P.S. to my last, profchris:

If NazNomad's tip about vinegar on the nuts, bolts, screws, etc, does NOT work (i.e. the corrosion is too far gone, so they look worse afterwards than before) then the only thing I could suggest is to replace them with new. I know nothing whatever about musical instruments, but there are some Luthiers on here, and they, + Google should help you locate a source of new - perhaps not exactly the same pattern, but something that would look OK and would work.

As I say, I know nothing, but what's this instrument worth? if you're restoring a valuable instrument, rather than "just" something to look OK and to play, then care is the definitely watch word.

HTH

AES

 

[profchris]

Thank you all (and the advice in PMs too).

Mainly dirt rather than corrosion, and the most visible parts have cleaned up well using T-Cut, which is what I had to hand. The hooks, nuts and flange brackets are dirtier and a little corroded (different plating?), Plus they are horribly fiddly. So after some careful experimentation I've discovered that 3 hours soak in white vinegar is safe and removes the worst, after which a quick polish up with the T-Cut produces enough of a gleam for a century old banjo.

This is not an expensive instrument, though decent quality. It's to be played not displayed, so all I really want is to tidy it up. I had thought I'd need to refinish, but after cleaning up the woodwork is pretty good. It has a century of wear from playing and gigging on it, but that's part of its history (and shows it played nicely, the pristine ones usually didn't get played because they were dogs ).

 

[AES]

Thanks for the feedback profchris, and glad you finished up with what you wanted.

AES