NEW INFANTERIE STURM ABZEICHEN,,,MARKED "mkt"

[militarymania]

HI ALL ,,,can anyone tell me who was the maker of this badge,,MKT in raised lettering on reverse,,,many thanks,<Robert

[fischer]

Hello Robert

Your badge looks to be "ground dug" due to all the corrosion, etc. but is an original. Pics are small but I am pretty sure the mm is M.K.1 and not mkt.

These variants have been attributed to the firm of Metal und Kunstsoff which is in the Gablonz area but solid proof has yet to have been established. Because of this, these continue to be listed as an unknown maker. There are (7) different examples starting with the M.K.1, M.K.2, - M.K.7.

Here is my M.K.1 to compare.

Best regards, fischer

[SteveR]

HI ALL ,,,can anyone tell me who was the maker of this badge,,MKT in raised lettering on reverse,,,many thanks,<Robert

The badge has a hard case of zinc pest.
I would polish it with steel wool to take the crust off of it and then rub some petrolium jelly on it to stop the crust from coming back.
If you do not remove the white crust it will get worse.

[Adrian]

Sorry Steve, I disagree, I would not advocate the use of steel wool on any TR decoration.

[Glenn66]

Maybe the bees wax and turpentine trick might help on this occassion?

[militarymania]

is not that combination best for wood products?

[Teutonicknights]

I would just use a little bit of gun oil, Rem oil, or something similar, but thats it, my opinion.

Just spray in on and let it sit.

[Stewy S]

My mate Fischer's right. A ground dug M.K 1. Stewy

[Adrian]

Zinc pest is unfortunately one of those things that affects zinc badges over time, especially if they are stored in poor conditions and humidity, damp and dirt are present. It is the nature of the alloy to deteriorate over time and zinc pest is there from the start - when the badge was made - and is brought out by the conditions I mentioned above. It is like a cancer of the metal.
One of the most popular tried and tested methods of containing it and improving the look of the badge is to use vaseline. Smear it over the affected area and leave for at least twenty four hours. Wipe off carefully using a cotton bud for example. the badge will never look as it did seventy years ago but the zinc pest process will have been slowed and the condition of the badge improved. You will not eradicate this problem but you can manage it.
DO NOT use any abrasive substances ie: wire wool, scouring cream type cleaners, sand paper etc. This will remove not only the zinc pest but also the remaining finish and also the base metal which is already being attacked by the 'pest'. Also, DO NOT spray any penetrative oils such as WD40 as this will cause the metal to react and disintegrate at a much faster rate.

[Wagriff]

If you want to Kill and remove zinc pest,you should soak it several days in vinegar. But be Aware,that whatever metal that has already been eaten by the disease is Gone and will show as a Pitted area when the pest is dissolved and removed. Personally,I would prefer to have a pitted but disease free piece rather than one that I know has still active corrosion eating away the metal. Just my opinion,anyway! We used to use vinegar back in my youth a hundred years ago when our zinc canning jar lids would start getting white and crusted from it. A couple days or so in the soak and the disease was gone,but then you had tiny pits and specks where it had been,of course. William