The Unglazed Marbles

[CallBob]

I'd really like to enhance my unglazed marbles by removing some of the crud accumulation from them but have not found a safe technique to attempt this . Has anyone discovered a way to do this ?

[Steph]

Will await response with curiosity. I don't know a safe way to do it.

(will also move this to the main forum for now, leaving a link in Restoration so I can pull it back after it has run its course)

[richsantaclaus]

I went to the mall and stopped at the Brookstone Store and bought an ultrasonic ring cleaner to clean the crud off my marbles. What's good about this particular machine is it only uses water to clean my marbles.

[ann]

The few I've tried, I only used warm running water and a soft toothbrush. It didn't look like it did much on the first one I tried, but once it air-dried, it made a pretty big difference . . . went from something I hoped might be a very faded pinwheel to being a somewhat faded but nice and distinct pinwheel. Haven't had a dramatic before-and-after since, but the others have all benefitted -- including an unglazed white / blue / green jasper.

Don't know what anything else might do . . .

Nice avatar, Bob!

[lstmmrbls]

I have found that almost anything can take the lines off some unglazed lined chinas. It is almost like they used watercolors for the paint. some are fairly hardy and can take soapy water. First, do a very small area first with a q-tip would be my suggestion

[CallBob]

I went to the mall and stopped at the Brookstone Store and bought an ultrasonic ring cleaner to clean the crud off my marbles. What's good about this particular machine is it only uses water to clean my marbles.

Did you try this with any unglazed chinas , or just glazed and glass ?

Bobby

[CallBob]

I have found that almost anything can take the lines off some unglazed lined chinas. It is almost like they used watercolors for the paint. some are fairly hardy and can take soapy water. First, do a very small area first with a q-tip would be my suggestion

I think this may be a good topic to start as new , what did the germans use to " paint " the chinas with ? I don't think that Carskadden mentions this in the book .

[mmuehlba]

if you try and soap and water be careful and for the soap use IVORY FLAKES cost a lot and is used for baby's but that would be your best bet I think , good luck

[CallBob]

if you try and soap and water be careful and for the soap use IVORY FLAKES cost a lot and is used for baby's but that would be your best bet I think , good luck

I've never seen them in our stores , but , maybe I was blind to them , gonna look next time . Thank You

Bobby

[richsantaclaus]

Never tried the china marbles I have before but the little specks of dirt almost always come off with my machine. I just use cold water without any soaps or cleaners on my glass marbles that are dirty. Good luck!

[hdesousa]

I have found that almost anything can take the lines off some unglazed lined chinas. It is almost like they used watercolors for the paint. some are fairly hardy and can take soapy water. First, do a very small area first with a q-tip would be my suggestion

Correct. The 'cheaper', more porous chinas seem to have been painted with watercolors. Perhaps dry-cleaning would work :-). Testing first with a Q-tip is an excellent suggestion. But the design on better unglazed chinas are fired into the surface, and these chinas can stand a gentle thumb rub with plain warm water or with even some added hand soap. Occasionally I've felt brave enough to use a soft tooth brush. For more resistant dirt and stains, a soak in 40% hydrogen peroxide (from a hairdressers' supply) is what ceramic restorers use, leaving the item covered in wet paper towels overnight in a lukewarm oven.

I've killed a really nice china in an ultrasonic cleaner; knocked off most the color, but that may have been because the marble was rattling around in the tray while being cleaned.

Important to remember that the enemy of good is better. Best not to over-clean.

Attached are some 'after' pics; cleaned with hand soap, warm water and a gentle brushing.

Here are the 'before' pics:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&rt=nc&nma=true&item=350447242764&si=98kKEEV3aWbCgFVgNlKI52hQOpw%253D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT

[CallBob]

I went to the mall and stopped at the Brookstone Store and bought an ultrasonic ring cleaner to clean the crud off my marbles. What's good about this particular machine is it only uses water to clean my marbles.

No , No , No....no water on a water color marble !

[CallBob]

Correct. The 'cheaper', more porous chinas seem to have been painted with watercolors. Perhaps dry-cleaning would work :-). Testing first with a Q-tip is an excellent suggestion. But the design on better unglazed chinas are fired into the surface, and these chinas can stand a gentle thumb rub with plain warm water or with even some added hand soap. Occasionally I've felt brave enough to use a soft tooth brush. For more resistant dirt and stains, a soak in 40% hydrogen peroxide (from a hairdressers' supply) is what ceramic restorers use, leaving the item covered in wet paper towels overnight in a lukewarm oven.

I've killed a really nice china in an ultrasonic cleaner; knocked off most the color, but that may have been because the marble was rattling around in the tray while being cleaned.

Important to remember that the enemy of good is better. Best not to over-clean.

Attached are some 'after' pics; cleaned with hand soap, warm water and a gentle brushing.

Here are the 'before' pics:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&_trksid=p4340.l2557&rt=nc&nma=true&item=350447242764&si=98kKEEV3aWbCgFVgNlKI52hQOpw%253D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT

I have found that art restorers of water colors use Bread balls made from the inside's of really soft type breads ( I'd suggest not seeded ! )