A somewhat off-topic question I know. ..but, I figured someone here may be able to advise me.. On a recent visit to the Somme, one of the locals gave me examples of both german and british barbed wire...approx 20cm lengths each. I hope to treat/preserve them and mount them on a plate to hang on the wall. So, any suggestions as to the best way to do this? A coat of phosphoric acid comes to mind, but I'd like to know if there is a better way. TIA.. D
Commercial "rust converter" preparations with phosphoric acid and citric acid from the local hardware shop work quite well on mild steels in my (limited) experience. The surface texture and colouration are quite altered from the original of course - no doubt something "extra" can be done about that, just painting served in my (different) situations. All applying if not originally galvanised. High-tensile and tempered steel, I have no idea about but are supposed to work as well (but the comment on original finish goes double). Certainly good enough to stabilise for a long period of preservation, I should think. Small test pieces would be the way to go unless a restorer happens by with real information. Go carefully with any HT/tempered, can be brittle if chiselling or shearing with bits liable to fly off at damaging velocity.
I found a bit on museum sites about preservation once (on bronze, restoring patina) by Googling - possibly something on iron and steel artefacts is out there too? Of course you've done that already but there were certainly layers of information to negotiate when I was looking for the answers on bronze.
