Damaged, Repair, Clean, Preserve Soviet Awards And Documents.

[thenneberry]

Rusty,

I do not have a specific award in mind. However, I would like to have a better understanding of how to evaluate awards for purchase that did have some type of damage. For example, I might be more willing to buy an order with noticable enamel damage with the thought of fixing it in the future and improving it's condition and appearance without diminishing its value. My question is whether this 'fix' would actually have an overall negative effect to the value of the order. I suspect it might even be considered cheating by some (is it?). This argument is purely hypothetical in the interests of increasing my knowledge in evaluating awards for purchase. I am a newbie to this hobby and am learning a lot from all of your commentary at this site.

Thanks for your help!
Tom

[HuliganRS]

Most people will agree to leave it alone. It's like any antique item, if you leave it in it's natural state it will alway be worth more than item that has something added/redone.


Just my thoughts,

Rusty.

[Nack]

I'll throw in my 2 cents:

As far as medals/orders/badges go, I too think that they should be kept in the same shape as you got them. No replacing enamel, replacing ribbons, polishing, etc. Wear adds character and authenticity.

I think uniforms and other non-award items are a bit different though. I think that resewing shoulderboards that have come off or replacing ribbon bars/badges/etc that were removed, for example, are an acceptable form of legitimate "restoration." I don't think that such restoration is "cheating" like replacing enamel might be.

Perhaps a double standard, but, that is my opinion.

[Chuck In Oregon]

I guess the title says it all. Please tell me how you use a black light to check for fakes and repairs and things like applied patinas.

I keep seeing references to this. What are the secrets and tricks? Are there any particularly good brands or ones to stay away from? Good dealers? Good or bad types, like hand-held versus whatever else there is?

This is a brand new subject for me. Black lights are cheap enough, it seems, but what the heck do I do with one?

Thanks in advance.

Chuck In Oregon
Currently, Chuck In Tbilisi ... but not for much longer

[sovvisor]

I guess the title says it all. Please tell me how you use a black light to check for fakes and repairs and things like applied patinas.

I keep seeing references to this. What are the secrets and tricks? Are there any particularly good brands or ones to stay away from? Good dealers? Good or bad types, like hand-held versus whatever else there is?

This is a brand new subject for me. Black lights are cheap enough, it seems, but what the heck do I do with one?

Thanks in advance.

Chuck In Oregon
Currently, Chuck In Tbilisi ... but not for much longer

It´s relly easy. If the enamel is cold(plastic based) it will glow under black light in a dark or fairly dark room. If enamel is repaired with new material it will glow as well. Real enamel would not turn to any other color but stay black or unglowing. If palstic it usually becomes bright orange.
The funny thing is that all plastic glows so on a 1945 uniform the seems will not show in the dark but if it´s a fake with synthetic thread it will glow.
You can also use it on stamps in documents and the inc. It nearly allways stay black. Inventory stamps on cloth that are worn away could show up from nowhere.
Hope this helps a little.
Best

[Lapa]

Sovvisor,

Repaired enamel will not necessarily glow under UV light. It will only if the repair was done with "cold enamel". If it was done using real glass enamel, it will not glow.

Marc

[Nack]

Does the blacklight light bulb have to be the florescent (typically a long tube) type, or can you use the incandescent bulbs (typically bulb-shaped like a conventional lamp light bulb)?

[Dolf]

Tim,

I use the florescent kind (one with a tube) and as said before it makes the non original enamel glow. It becomes kind of bright yellow or orange. If the enamel is original (or apparently, as Marc pointed out, if it was repaired with real hot enamel) nothing happens, I mean it doesn't glow.

Chuck,

Mine is from Leuchtturm, very cheap but very useful, for the reasons mentioned by the other fellow members.

Dolf

[Nack]

Thanks Dolf.

I have an incandescent blacklight bulb, but it doesn't seem to do much. I think I'll go out this weekend in search of a cheap florescent fixture and a bl bulb.

[Soviet]

I see that there is so many sort of portable black light they sell. Which kind of bulb should I look for ?