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Old 13th October 2014, 06:15 PM   #31
VANDOO
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FROM THE CURRENT STANDARDS FOR RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION THE ITEM SHOULD BE CAREFULLY CLEANED AND PUT AWAY IN A CAREFULLY CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT IE. HUMIDITY, LIGHT, ECT. HANDLING ONLY WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY AND THEN WITH CLEAN WHITE GLOVES IN A CLIMATE CONTROLLED AREA. EVEN WHEN THIS IS ALWAYS FOLLOWED THE MATERIAL WILL DETERIORATE OVER TIME, THE MORE TIME THE MORE CHANGE. THIS IS ONE APPROACH BUT IS DIFFICULT TO SET UP FOR MOST OF US AND MANY OF US LIKE TO HAVE OUR ITEMS WHERE WE CAN SEE AND HANDLE THEM.
FROM A MUSEUMS CONSERVATORS VIEW ADDING ANYTHING TO A ITEM IS BAD. BUT LEATHER THAT IS FED WILL BE LESS LIKELY TO DRY OUT, SPLIT AND CRACK THAN UNTREATED LEATHER OVER TIME, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS MOVED AND HANDLED. ONCE LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS PASS A CERTAIN POINT RESTORATION IS NOT POSSIBLE AND A DECISION TO FIX IT PERMANENTLY WITH A ARTIFICIAL COATING OR ENCLOSE IT IN A CASE OR SOLID RESIN. IN THE PAST SUCH ITEMS WERE USUALLY DISCARDED ,LEATHER, PAPER, FABRIC, FEATHERS AND WOOD ARE ESPECIALLY FRAGILE AND OFTEN LOST. WHEN MATERIAL REACHES THAT POINT HANDLING OR OPEN DISPLAY WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE ITEM IS NOT POSSIBLE.
TRUE WHEN ADDING PRESERVATIVES THERE WILL BE A BUILD-UP OF RESIDUE OF OILS, POLISH OR WAX AND PERHAPS DUST MAY STICK WHICH WILL IN TURN ATTRACT MOISTURE. BUT IT WILL OFTEN PROLONG THE TIME WE CAN HANDLE AND OPENLY DISPLAY THE ITEMS. TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN THIS REGIMEN WILL INCREASE OUR HANDLING OF OUR COLLECTIONS SO MAY ADD A BIT OF WEAR AND HOPEFULLY ENJOYMENT TO OUR COLLECTION. MANY LIGHT COATS OF ANY PRESERVATIVE APPLIED OVER TIME IS MUCH BETTER THAN A HEAVY COAT SOAKING THE ITEM.
THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN IS HIGHLY CORROSIVE MORE THAN MOST PLANETS AS SO MUCH IS WATER AND SALT (THE UNIVERSAL SOLVENT). SO ITS NATURAL FOR ALL THINGS TO CHANGE REGARDLESS OF OUR BEST EFFORTS. IF YOU WANT PROOF LOOK AT OLD SCHOOL PICTURES AND THEN LOOK IN THE MIRROR
SO ITS BEST TO LEARN ALL YOU CAN ABOUT PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION AND CHART A COURSE YOU CAN FOLLOW AS NO ONE CAN MAKE YOUR CHOICES FOR YOU. WE ALL WANT TO PRESERVE THESE ITEMS AND HOPEFULLY PASS THEM ALONG IN AS GOOD OR BETTER SHAPE THAN WE OFTEN FIND THEM.
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Old 15th October 2014, 11:50 PM   #32
Robert
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I would like to thank everyone for their help and opinions on how and what to do and not to do to help me in the preservation of this shield. As of this time I have only done a light cleaning with a small soft brush and canned air to try to clean it as much as possible without doing any damage to the wood. I did apply (to a small area on the back side of the shield) a small amount of ren wax that was absorbed almost instantly like a dry sponge soaking up water. I have done nothing sense. That said, I think that I will only do one more cleaning attempt using a cloth dampened with a little distilled water and Murphy's Oil Soap to try to remove the more stubborn dust build up. Thank you all again for your help and if anyone has any further information or advice that they would like to offer on this item it too would be greatly appreciated.

Best,
Robert
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