Topic: limescale (or not)

[Patrick]

Hi,
 I am with John.....................  Not Whitefriars sadly, but easily mistaken.

Regards, Patrick.

[glass]

If its not Whitefriars its always safe to say Webb or Stuart. If its Webb I'll date it to 1930s, Whitefriars had tend to copy Webb and didn't have any real individuality until the trippy 60s.

This is still a quality vase and the only reason that this vase MAY not be as valuable as Whitefriars is because the designer is unknown. I would watch ebay and see how much a similar whitefriars vase sells for, then list it as buy it now (make Offer) for roughly £10.00 more and I bet you will sell it for roughly the same price. This is based on both pieces being in excellent condition.


Cheers

[Max]

Paul, if you would like to have your vase professionally tumbled, I have the name of someone who will do it for you, but it probably won't be cheap.  Email me 

http://www.glassmessages.com/index.php/topic,25628.msg141613.html#msg141613

This topic split now.  This thread is only for suggestions about the limescale problem now.   

Thank you. 

[Ivo]

Limescale can be removed using commercially available products for cleaning coffee makers (Lidl's own brand will do just fine). Bio deposit can be removed using chorine bleach. If you still have cloudiness in your vase after trying the above easy options, then your glass has water damage: water containing acid has eaten into the glass surface and no amount of chemicals will deal with that - certainly not agressive toilet cleaners which are based on caustic soda. You risk damaging the vase even further. There is no alternative but to have them tumbled. This is an expensive option whereby the vessel is filled with abrasive powders, copper pellets and washing up liquid, immobilised in a cylinder which is machine rotated for 3 days or longer. (in some cases it can take a full week).

[TxSilver]

Limescale can be removed using commercially available products for cleaning coffee makers (Lidl's own brand will do just fine). Bio deposit can be removed using chorine bleach. If you still have cloudiness in your vase after trying the above easy options, then your glass has water damage: water containing acid has eaten into the glass surface and no amount of chemicals will deal with that - certainly not agressive toilet cleaners which are based on caustic soda...

Thanks for pointing this out, Ivo. I was a bit non-specific when I mentioned toilet bowl cleaners. I was referring to the brands, e.g. Clorox toilet bowl cleaner, that clean using gentler ingredients such as bleach. The ones using soda definitely should be avoided.

[glassobsessed]

I have had some success removing water marks by polishing them out with a portable dentists drill with a felt pad fitted and using cerium powder (very fine abrasive) made into a paste with water. It can take a few cycles of polishing, cleaning and inspection and I would not attempt any piece of glass that is remotely delicate but I have had excellent results. The business end of the dentists drill is small enough to get into the necks of most items and I pad the handle so that no chips are caused by knocking.

Apparently light scratches on the outside of items can be polished too but I have not tried that as me and my kitchen would be splattered with cerium goo.

A handy tip for drying the inside of hard to reach glass items is to first drip dry and then pump air in using a fish tank air pump (with air tube at far end of bottle/vase). Thirty minutes normally does the trick and no bits of lint left inside.

[Paul S.]

my sincere thanks to everone for their input on this one.          I feel humbled in the presence of so much original thinking, although didn't realise it wud cause so much disagreement!
Surprised no one else mentioned Kilrok K - I had spoken to the makers and they swore blind this wud do the trick.       However, conclusion must be of course that the glass has become etched, and tumbling is now the only way out  -  although don't think I will go down that road.   The piece looks o.k. in the main.
I had also thought of either cerium/tin oxide or Linde A (which are of course fine powders used in tumbling stones) on a mop fitted onto a flexible drive off a mains drill  -  so may try that when I don't have anything else to do one day.    Do you think I shud take it back to the boot sales and get a refund!!!
I wouldn't sell the vase tho - and although I don't normally collect contemporary pieces, it will sit alongs side my other boot sale Tricorn vases and ashrays.  The problem with being a collector is that its usually impossible to part with anything - obsession and passion are terrible neuroses - they clutter the house and tend to make you bankrupt.            I'm more of a collector of C19 decorative and pressed (plus some Uranium) -  they are a bit easier to I.D.
Anyway, I have a few more boot sale and charity shop items I need to I.D. - and I will pick something a little less contenious next time.    thanks again.     Paul.
 

[glass]

If you are using commercially available products such as chlorine bleach I would recommend you wear a dust mask gloves and safety glasses which will cost about a lady Godiva, thats about a fiver.

The safest product to use and the oldest trick in the book is Brasso metal polish, as long as your hand can get at the affected area to give a good old polish .

I've used this a couple of times on cloudy drinking glasses with excellent results.

Nice one

Sean

[Paul S.]

thanks for the tips Sean   -   although I probably wouldn't touch the chlorine bleach.

what am I supposed to use to rub the brasso on with  (not wire wool surely)??

[glass]

Hi Paul

No, wire wool would cause damage, use a soft cloth.

Good luck

Sean