Metal Conservation

Also, check out the resources listed under "Family Heirlooms" for additional tips regarding metal objects.

American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC)
Metals part of the AIC Objects Specialty Group Conservation WIKI

Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI). 
CCI produces fee-based technical bulletins on a variety of conservation issues.
Technical Bulletin #17 Threaded Fasteners in Metal Artifacts  by George Prytulak.  To Find TB # 17, scroll down the web page.

The Canadian Conservation Institute also produces "CCI Notes" on collections care topics aimed at a broad audience (downloadable PDFs at CCI website).

CCI Notes addressing conservation of metals:

• N9/1 Recognizing Active Corrosion (2007)
• N9/2 Storage of Metals (2007)
• N9/3 The Cleaning, Polishing and Protective Waxing of Brass and Copper (2007)
• N9/4 Basic Care of Coins, Medals and Medallic Art (2007)
• N9/5 Tannic Acid Treatment (2007)
• N9/6 Care and Cleaning of Iron (2007)
• N9/7 Silver - Care and Tarnish Removal (2007)
• N9/8 Mechanical Removal of Rust from Machined Ferrous Surfaces (2007)
• N9/9 Care of Objects Made of Zinc (2007)

Getty Museum
Conserving Bronze video

The Henry Ford, Benson Ford Research Center

• The Care and Preservation of Historical Brass and Bronze a Preservation Fact Sheet by Clara Deck, Senior Conservator at The Henry Ford
• The Care and Preservation of Historical Iron a Preservation Fact Sheet by Clara Deck, Senior Conservator at The Henry Ford
• The Care and Preservation of Historical Silver a Preservation Fact Sheet by Clara Deck, Senior Conservator at The Henry Ford
• The Care and Preservation of Clocks  a Preservation Fact Sheet by Mary M. Fahey, Chief Conservator at The Henry Ford
• The Care and Preservaton of Historic Motorized Vehicles  a Preservation Fact Sheet by Malcolm Collum, Senior Conservator at The Henry Ford
   

Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
Connecting to Collections on-line resources for metal

International Council of Museum (ICOM), the Committee for Conservation is the largest committee in the ICOM.  It has 21 working groups that focus on a variety of topics and material groups, each with the purpose of promoting conservation, discussion, and dissemination of information.

Metal 2010: Proceedings of the Interim Meeting of the International Council of Museums- Committee for Conservation Metal Working Group that took place in Charleston, SC, USA on October 11-15, 2010.  Clicking the title, takes you to the free downloadable digital version (162.46 MB) from Lulu Enterprises, Inc.   

National Park Service (NPS)
Conserve O Grams:

• 10/1  Caring for Historic Longarms: Storage and Handling Requirements 1999
• 10/2  Caring for Silver and Copper Alloy Objects 1999
• 10/3  Preparing Historic Motorized Vehicles for Storage or Exhibit 1999
• 10/4  Caring for Outdoor Bronze Plaques, Part I: Documentation and Inspection 2005
• 10/5  Caring for Outdoor Bronze Plaques, Part II: Cleaning and Waxing 2005

NPS Museum Handbook, Part I - Museum Collections:

• Appendix O: Curatorial Care of Metal Objects (140K) 2002

Nebraska Educational Telecommunications (NET), Nebraska's PBS and NPR Stations
Saving Your Treasures: Metals

Smithsonian Institution, Museum Conservation Institute (MCI)

• Caring for Antique Armaments
• Caring for Clocks and Watches

Texas A&M University, Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation, Conservation Research Laboratory.
The Laboratory's on-line manual discusses many methodologies for conserving archaeological artifacts recovered from marine environments:

• Metal conservation: preliminary steps
• Iron conservation: Part I - Introduction and equipment
• Iron conservation Part II: Experimental variable and final steps
• Non-ferrous metal conservation
• Cupreous metal (copper, bronze, brass) conservation
• Silver conservation
• Lead, tin, and lead alloy conservation
• Gold and gold alloy conservation