Cleaning EK2s, advice sought

[NickM]

After years of just being academically interested in Imperial Germany, I've bought my first EK2.
I've got a EK2 coming, marked MFH (M.Flex & Sohn, Hamburg?) and while it's rather blackened or what you'd call a nice patina, it would be nice to put it back to the condition it would have been received in.

What would most suggest to use for cleaning/restoring an EK2?

[MD Helmets]

Personally, I'd suggest not doing a darn thing to it. It's what time has made it, and it looks good that way. If you really don't lke how it looks, you can send it to me

[Adrian]

DON'T TOUCH IT!!!!!!!


If you want a shiny EK, buy one, please don't take off the history and patina of this cross. You will never be able to get it back to it's original state and you will wash away it's value. It will remain thereafter a 'cleaned cross'. I guarantee you that no EK collector will advise or advocate cleaning a cross like this. It looks absolutely fine, it is not dirty, it is not deteriorating and there is no need at all to clean it.
Cleaning can lead to other problems.

Welcome to the forum btw!

[NickM]

Uh, ok thanks.

[Wagriff]

lol Seriously,though, Nick...it looks fine and cleaning it would just ruin the value of it, is all. Leave the old soldier be-he earned his patina.

[MD Helmets]

I'd like to add welcome to the forum as well. And thank you for asking that question BEFORE actually trying to clean the cross, because, as Adrian said, once the cleaning has been done, that's it for that cross, no good, game over. Please, follow his advice and leave her be, you will come to appreciate her look as is.

[NickM]

Thanks for all the advice. I normally buy repros so am used to them looking "bright" but wasn't sure when it comes to an original. This is why the EK2 is the only original I have, and why the EK1 I've got coming is a repro, as I'm not familiar with what to look for on an original EK1.

[Nick Hessens]

Don't clean it! Just buy one.

Here is one I bought.