The Australian Metal Detectorist thread

True that

So guys, as when it comes to metallurgy, has anyone considered electrolysis? I have done this on a few very old iron pieces with pretty amazing results. Caution: though, the water and the gasses given off can be toxic. Do not do this in your kitchen....

What is involved?
Let's go further into that if interest. There are hazards.


The end result though is a once-custy artifact becoming an 1800's recognizable piece of history.

Can you explain the basics ?
What are you using as an anode ? Are you using soda etc ?

Yes Sir, so the power we are talking about here is direct current (D/C) which is much more dangerous at high current or (A) amps. It might work in A/C? I do not know. I am using basic baking soda as the electrolyte, in heavy quantities.

The Anode (+) is the positive portion of a direct current (D/C). In my case I used a piece of 2"x2" regular angle steel about 6" long. This is not the best conductor, however... this is important because there is not an element of heavy metal included in the composition of this steel. Iron and carbon. Using something like stainless steel or lead brings a higher conductive anode.. but will break down in this dissolution into heavy elements. This is not good as chromium and other things bad to cells are present.

The anode will pull the impurities away from the cathode. In my case this is something I can hang into the dissolution from the cathode. (the artifact).

Let me back up too about electrolysis. What we are doing here with D/C is the breaking down of water into hydrogen and oxygen. Or in this process better known as HHO gasses. While these molecules dissipate back into water..for a moment, HHO is extremely explosive. Not to cause alarm because HHO does not build up into clouds of neighborhood-leveling proportions, however it is something to be aware of when turning water into HHO. In this process. If messing around with electrolysis, dont smoke...shit might explode.

So anyhow, the cautionary tale in electrolysis, is...The anode should be simple steel, the cathode (-) should be your artifact, and the surface of your water and the gasses given off should be treated as toxic.

Last note: this experiment was done on 3 Amperes, many ppl might recommend battery chargers..those can be way higher power and kill you in wet areas
... be careful.

12V 3A ?
How long did it take ?

So being an experiment I think it took about 4 hours, with changing the water about 4 times. The 3A current was supplied by an old external hard drive power supply. When I started to see the bubbling action subside, I changed the water and added new electrolyte. Here is a comparison:

I have only done this on one other piece so far, this was a very obscure piece of American history:



I had no clue what this was when I dug it....it looked like a piece of lead, but when I cleaned it and then "electrocuted" it, what I found was that it was a piece of very very obscure American history. This is a part of an "exhaust whistle" which was made in the early 1900's for the Ford Model T. The best I can tell this is a flap made of bronze which closed on the whistle part of the "Signal horn" much like a boat or ship. Before automobiles had actual electric or air horns....this was part of the device which attached to the tail pipe of model T. The exhaust gasses would blow through the whistle with a foot pedal actuation....making the car whistle.... It was the early car horn....I have yet to find the exact model... but this is the idea below: same company:



Probably my favorite find so far...just because it was such a wtf is this thing.

Need that electrolysis for my rabbit trap...

A few more finds at the local goldenfields, an interesting site, lots of old broken bottles and crockery, and heaps of rubbish, so hopefully some interesting finds amongst it all

molasses and water.

Cheers, vinegar worked really well on my old spoon