The removal of metal soaps from brass beads on a leather belt

摘要

Severe corrosion was found covering the brass beads on several beaded belts. The corrosion was a mixture of copper soaps and zinc soaps, and was so thick in some places that it completely buried the brass beads. One of these belts was chosen as a test case for cleaning. The details of the cleaning are described, as are the effects of the corrosion process on the beads and surrounding organic materials. Two supporting studies are also reported: tests of the solubility of the corrosion in a variety of organic solvents, including mixtures of ethanol and petroleum-based solvents; and tests of leather dressings and other coatings on brass, copper, and zinc coupons in various relative humidities (RH), to determine what values of RH could be recommended for storage.