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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=csz_stl@8Dg3CyXvKAtizVNmT3QPGoUrWbwX-Av9qVUgd4yYZOft25-_WDUAhJ70x3sGGOws8W9qdJJMfzxC0GrcP4rzhVfBdQ.yahoo.invalid href="mailto:csz_stl@sCz5OrsGRmef7N9wmlmULdkNcWMKD-RfliTce2Ig644T3lk-NBeisRWBHf2qJuIJXPgNq01RBvIQ.yahoo.invalid">Carl Scott
Zimmerman</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com
href="mailto:bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com">Bell Historians List</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, May 01, 2012 2:01 AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Bell Historians] Cleaning old
bells</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><SPAN style="DISPLAY: none"> </SPAN>
<DIV style="Z-INDEX: 1" id=ygrp-text>
<P>Photos in RW articles about bell restoration projects almost always
<BR>show that the bellfounders and bellhangers respect the antiquity of
<BR>the bells. New fittings are cheerfully bright with new paint, but <BR>the
patina of the bells is undisturbed.<BR><BR>Unfortunately, that respect for
antiquity is not widespread in <BR>America. The major maintenance firms seem
bent on persuading their <BR>customers of the "need" for sandblasting or other
harsh methods of <BR>polishing to make old bells "look like new." I find that
practice <BR>deplorable, and speak against it when I can, sometimes comparing
it <BR>to making one's grandmother get a facelift so that one doesn't have
<BR>to see her wrinkles any more.<BR><BR>But I'd like to have some more
specific recommendations to make to <BR>those who are considering renovation
projects. Hence this message, <BR>with the following question:<BR><BR>What
methods do English bellfounders and bellhangers use to clean <BR>grease, bird
droppings or other forms of dirt from old bells without <BR>disturbing the
patina significantly?<BR><BR>Thanks in advance,<BR><BR>Carl<BR><BR></P></DIV><!-- end group email --></BODY></HTML>