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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body bgcolor=white lang=EN-GB link="#1E66AE" vlink="#1E66AE"><div class=WordSection1><p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>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<o:p></o:p></p><p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>There is a specialist conservation firm in Italy called Etechnica who, in addition to being one of the leading stone conservation companies in that country, have some remarkable specialist cleaning equipment which utilizes computer designed water sprays and specialist detergents to remove graffiti from stone work and almost any stain from other materials without damaging the surface. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>We had a demonstration here in Perth last year and I was able to place my hand on some graffiti covered masonry, over which the spray was passed with no discomfort whatsoever and when I took my hand away there was a hand-shaped patch of graffiti was left.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The firm claims that this equipment works as well on metals as it does on stone, so this could be a very viable alternative to much harsher methods of cleaning bells.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Richard<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>