What Else Do You Collect Besides Knives?

[Dan In MI]

What can I do to clean this up without ruining it?

Coin collectors, I'm sure, would emphatically say "nothing." I've always heard it said that cleaning a coin ruins its numismatic value. However, it'll always be worth face value, and some people like the buffalo nickels for making jewelry.

For cleaning, my suggestion would be starting with the simple and fairly gentle mixture of warm water and blue Dawn dish soap, and move on to more drastic methods as you feel necessary.

[1967redrider]

What can I do to clean this up without ruining it?

Coin collectors, I'm sure, would emphatically say "nothing." I've always heard it said that cleaning a coin ruins its numismatic value. However, it'll always be worth face value, and some people like the buffalo nickels for making jewelry.

For cleaning, my suggestion would be starting with the simple and fairly gentle mixture of warm water and blue Dawn dish soap, and move on to more drastic methods as you feel necessary.

Thanks, Dan. I was thinking soap and a toothbrush, then gun cleaner like Hoppes #9 and a toothbrush entered my mind. Not sure if that would kill it though. Looks like 1920 to me. Whichever family member lost it, once upon a time, was probably upset because a nickel would actually buy something back then.

[Dan In MI]

I found some WWII steel pennies in my basement not long after I got here. They still have quite a bit of rust on 'em. Probably tomorrow, I'll give 'em a soak in white vinegar and see how much, if any, of the rust is dissolved. I hadn't considered Hoppe's No. 9!

I don't actively seek out old coins, but if I find a wheat penny still in circulation, I set it aside. Same with Bicentennial quarters and 1978 coins.

[Steamboat Willie]

I found this Buffalo nickel while running Bouncing Betty (see What Did You Use Your Knife For thread- viewtopic.php?f=2&t=65286&start=525 ) and this seems like the best thread to post my question. What can I do to clean this up without ruining it?

Thanks for your replies.

Coca Cola will burn a lot of that corrosion right off. I clean brass valve seats with it, works great!

[1967redrider]

I found this Buffalo nickel while running Bouncing Betty (see What Did You Use Your Knife For thread- https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kn ... &start=525 ) and this seems like the best thread to post my question. What can I do to clean this up without ruining it?

Thanks for your replies.

Coca Cola will burn a lot of that corrosion right off. I clean brass valve seats with it, works great!

Thanks! I do that with battery posts when the blue stuff starts to build up.

[doglegg]

Just carry it in your pocket a week or so.

[Ridgegrass]

I like old clocks. I can't say I'm a "collector" but I have a few and will buy one if I like it. Here are some. (Sorry about the rotations, don't know what happened. Maybe they'll be right if you click on them.)Top to Bottom
Serh Thomas, mahogany case, C.1920's
Ansonia "Medina" 5' walnut, regulator wall clock, 1882
Ingraham, c. 1890's oak Kitchen clock
Westbury, c. 1890's oak Kitchen clock
Back of 1911, Smith's Enfield brass engine room clock
Face and beveled crystal of Smith's Enfield
Sessions, Banjo clock, c.1920's
American Clock Co., C. 1860, Cast iron figural clock. I have a photo of Boston Corbett, the soldier who shot John Wilkes Booth seated at a table with a very similar clock.

All the clocks work very well. I knew an old clock maker who regulated each one for me. He died about twenty years ago. Don't know what I'll do if one goes bad. I wind each one a couple times each year, so far, so good.
J.O'.

[cudgee]

I think i may have a new hobby/ADDICTION, i have developed a keen interest in sharpening stones. Looking at some Youtube clips from people who collect them, some of the old stones just look beautiful in their old wooden boxes. Another thing i cannot afford.

[Meridian_Mike]

I like old clocks. I can't say I'm a "collector" but I have a few and will buy one if I like it. Here are some. (Sorry about the rotations, don't know what happened. Maybe they'll be right if you click on them.)Top to Bottom
........
Ansonia "Medina" 5' walnut, regulator wall clock, 1882
........

J.O'.

I love your Ansonia...
I have one of those early Ansonias....

Sorry for the bad picture.

[Dan In MI]

I like old clocks.

I have one of those early Ansonias....

Nice old timekeepers! They have so much more character than an LCD encased in plastic.

[Coinfolio]

I used to collect coins, sold most off to help with remodeling projects. Just have a few left that my kids gave me as presents, sentimental value. Wife and I started collecting Tell city maple furniture. Tell city chair co. (like Schrade) was an old time company, started way back that couldn't hang on and went out of business about 12 years ago or so. Mostly Solid maple well made furniture produced in Tell city Indiana by American Craftsman . It's still inexpensive especially relative to new and the beauty of the eastern hardrock maple is hard to surpass imho. A few months ago I was looking at my Schrade buzzsaw that I traded some coins for about 10 years ago. Forgot how cool it was until I took it out of the box, did some research and here I am, buying knives made in the U.S.A. by a legacy company that is now out of business. ( I don't count China knockoffs as the same company).

[Ridgegrass]

M-MIKE: That is a beauty. When I got mine some fool had cut the carved base off and built a cheesey looking base to make is a hall/floor piece and then painted it with a yellow antiquing paint kit. Took me forever with dental picks to get it out of the carved walnut !! Yours appears to have the same movement, long pendulum, double drive weights, ceramic face. The old clockmaker who regulated it said he loved the sound of it's ticking, kept it on his wall for an extra week just to listen. Thanks for the pic. J.O'.

[Meridian_Mike]

M-MIKE: That is a beauty. ...
.......
The old clockmaker who regulated it said he loved the sound of it's ticking, kept it on his wall for an extra week just to listen. Thanks for the pic. J.O'.

Thanks!

Yep, I love to listen to mine tick!
My clock's face is paper over a brass back.

The weights hang on strings..... I think that is just so cool.

Mine was missing a few small parts (finials) but one of the guys in our clock and watch club helped me restore it. It is back just like the catalog picture now.

[Ridgegrass]

This one has brass cables. Those weights are heavy and would probably go through the floor of the clock if one broke. I'm missing the entire lower carving beneath the floor like the last pic on the right of your advertising page. Also to two finials on the top corners. I've timed her, she'll run eight days, 7 hrs. +/- on a full wind. Fun clocks! Pieces of history. J.O'.

[1967redrider]

Had the Buffalo nickel in my pocket for a week with not much improvement, trying the Coke bath now. Some say I have bats in my belfry.

[WillyCamaro]

Had the Buffalo nickel in my pocket for a week with not much improvement, trying the Coke bath now. Some say I have bats in my belfry.

If that doesn't work mate, try baking soda and vinegar. Did a science experiment years ago in school, worked great on brass pennies. Couldn't hurt, unless it breakes down silver, which I don't know about...


Oh, and i've used strong toothpaste before, works too.

[1967redrider]

Had the Buffalo nickel in my pocket for a week with not much improvement, trying the Coke bath now. Some say I have bats in my belfry.

If that doesn't work mate, try baking soda and vinegar. Did a science experiment years ago in school, worked great on brass pennies. Couldn't hurt, unless it breakes down silver, which I don't know about...


Oh, and i've used strong toothpaste before, works too.

Thanks, Willy. I did a few Coca Cola baths and got this far. It could have been buried for close to 100 years, I believe it's dated 1920.

[Maddogfl]

I like old clocks. I can't say I'm a "collector" but I have a few and will buy one if I like it. Here are some. (Sorry about the rotations, don't know what happened. Maybe they'll be right if you click on them.)Top to Bottom
Serh Thomas, mahogany case, C.1920's
Ansonia "Medina" 5' walnut, regulator wall clock, 1882
Ingraham, c. 1890's oak Kitchen clock
Westbury, c. 1890's oak Kitchen clock
Back of 1911, Smith's Enfield brass engine room clock
Face and beveled crystal of Smith's Enfield
Sessions, Banjo clock, c.1920's
American Clock Co., C. 1860, Cast iron figural clock. I have a photo of Boston Corbett, the soldier who shot John Wilkes Booth seated at a table with a very similar clock.

All the clocks work very well. I knew an old clock maker who regulated each one for me. He died about twenty years ago. Don't know what I'll do if one goes bad. I wind each one a couple times each year, so far, so good.
J.O'.

I like old clocks too. About five years ago I bought my first, a non-working mantle clock for just a few bucks. As fate would have it, and without any prior knowledge I fixed it....I then started buying "broken" vintage and antique clocks. I am able, without knowledge or tools, to be able to get about 50% of them running. At first, it was hard to forgive myself for my failures, but I have gotten over it.... I give my failures to a real clock maker that lives about 50 miles away and he uses them for parts. If I were younger, I would pursue the hobby with more effort.

If you want to see some of your clocks in situ, watch the old western, "High Noon."

I built the "grandfather" clock out of some antique lumber and put an orphaned movement it it. I really like the old wall clocks, here is the cream of my stash. The first "wall clock" is labeled "South Georgia Clock Co." The third is a Seth Thomas Garfield model. (the only one that is valuable) The other large wall clock is an unknown "store clock."

[Maddogfl]

Had the Buffalo nickel in my pocket for a week with not much improvement, trying the Coke bath now. Some say I have bats in my belfry.

Don't worry about the bats. Insanity is the spice of life. Take it from an expert.

[New_Windsor_NY]

An article from a New York newspaper, December 1945.
Click on the picture to ENLARGE.

[Ridgegrass]

Very nice! Thanks for the comeback. J.O'.

[Meridian_Mike]

We had our watch & Clock club meeting yesterday. One of the guys has many, MANY clocks. I am trying to make a deal with him for one of his Perpetual, Calendar clocks. These clocks have the most AMAZING movements!
That clock has a gear that goes around only ONCE every 4 YEARS and it holds up February for one day during leap year. That movement takes account for LEAP YEAR!

These movements were made by clock makers that only had the equipment available to them in the late 1800's and early 1900's..... WOW!!

[jmh58]

We had our watch & Clock club meeting yesterday. One of the guys has many, MANY clocks. I am trying to make a deal with him for one of his Perpetual, Calendar clocks. These clocks have the most AMAZING movements!
That clock has a gear that goes around only ONCE every 4 YEARS and it holds up February for one day during leap year. That movement takes account for LEAP YEAR!

These movements were made by clock makers that only had the equipment available to them in the late 1800's and early 1900's..... WOW!!

That clock sounds Kool Mike. Good Luck getting it!!
John

[TPK]

A fourth vote in favor of steam engine and stationary gas engine goodness.

Yes....

Let's see a few pics of your steam goodies!!

Third it!

Ok gents, fair enough! Here are a few of my large lumps. My Minneapolis traction engine at work on a thresher, my Little Giant steam air compressor, and my International Harvester “Famous” gas engine.

Wow! Cool stuff Willy!

[TPK]

I like old clocks. I can't say I'm a "collector" but I have a few and will buy one if I like it. Here are some. (Sorry about the rotations, don't know what happened. Maybe they'll be right if you click on them.)Top to Bottom
Serh Thomas, mahogany case, C.1920's
Ansonia "Medina" 5' walnut, regulator wall clock, 1882
Ingraham, c. 1890's oak Kitchen clock
Westbury, c. 1890's oak Kitchen clock
Back of 1911, Smith's Enfield brass engine room clock
Face and beveled crystal of Smith's Enfield
Sessions, Banjo clock, c.1920's
American Clock Co., C. 1860, Cast iron figural clock. I have a photo of Boston Corbett, the soldier who shot John Wilkes Booth seated at a table with a very similar clock.

All the clocks work very well. I knew an old clock maker who regulated each one for me. He died about twenty years ago. Don't know what I'll do if one goes bad. I wind each one a couple times each year, so far, so good.
J.O'.

I like old clocks too. About five years ago I bought my first, a non-working mantle clock for just a few bucks. As fate would have it, and without any prior knowledge I fixed it....I then started buying "broken" vintage and antique clocks. I am able, without knowledge or tools, to be able to get about 50% of them running. At first, it was hard to forgive myself for my failures, but I have gotten over it.... I give my failures to a real clock maker that lives about 50 miles away and he uses them for parts. If I were younger, I would pursue the hobby with more effort.

If you want to see some of your clocks in situ, watch the old western, "High Noon."

I built the "grandfather" clock out of some antique lumber and put an orphaned movement it it. I really like the old wall clocks, here is the cream of my stash. The first "wall clock" is labeled "South Georgia Clock Co." The third is a Seth Thomas Garfield model. (the only one that is valuable) The other large wall clock is an unknown "store clock."

That's pretty cool! I have often thought about collecting clocks but my house is just too small.
Cool Hobby! Thanks for sharing!