Found a Tin and Need Help Preserving It

[mn90403]

Hello Relic Hunters:

I found this tin in some workings near Sierra City, California. It has been mined for gold in the 1890s and before and also cut for wood. I think this tin came from the woodcutters. I was lucky to get it in one piece as I could have put a pick through it.

Can anyone tell me more about it?

It looks like a cigarette tin and the other side is rusted so that you can't read it. I opened it and it is still shinny and there was nothing in it.

What can I put on the tin to halt the rust and keep the color?

Mitchel

[newriverblake]

Mn90403

You might try to clean coat it, there are a lot of spray can clear coats out there now, you should probably be able to fined one that will work if you decided to go that route.

[frank c]

Either as Blake said or just a coat of light oil like 3in1 or olive oil.

[garimpo]

A lite coat of WD40 will usually do wonders, especially after it sits and gets a good soaking for a few days. Then lightly wipe the WD40 off and that should remove some of the rust or dirt but still leave a film that will protect the item.

[El Dorado]

Olive oil is the treatment around this place........

[Patrick in Havasu]

3 in 1 Oil??

Frank, you aren't old enough to remember that stuff !!

Patrick .....

[garimpo]

Dang Patrick.....wish I wasn't old enough.....but I do remember it....is it still being made?

Never mind, I found it: http://www.3inone.com/

[frank c]

Pat I have a large can on the shelf I use all the time, especially in air tools.

[Gilaoro]

Be careful with the olive oil, some of it contains enough salt to be corrosive. A light clear coat is the way to go.

[mn90403]

Thanks for the suggestions ... I think I will use a light coating of all of them ... one at a time. Now, can anyone tell me more about the tin itself from the posted pictures? Does anyone recognize it from use or some other web page?

Mitchel

[Au Seeker]

Mitchel,

I searched the internet for a tin likes yours, but to no avail, it could be for cigarettes, tobacco for rolling you own, chewing tobacco, or for many other commodities, many items came in a variety of tins such as yours, without a product name it sorta hard to find one online.

Some tins were sold with no contents, for use to store little knickknacks, etc. in and had no product name on them, yours maybe such a tin.

[sawmill]

Those are tobacco leaves on the tin. The design looks like a Middle East logo.

That type of tin was used for cigarettes,plug tobacco,and sometimes for small

cigars. I looked through a zillion tins,and couldn't find a match. It could be from

a local maker,or an import . It is not a common tin,and so far you seem to have

something rare,for a tin.

[Bedrock Bob]

Penetrol is the stuff to use. It will stop the rust and give the paint some releif. It is a killer alkyd paint additive too. I use it all the time on old stuff. It often brings back wording you could not read before and preserves metal well.

Sawmill nailed the design on the tin. It is a tobacco tin. I bet it was originally loaded with shade leaves for rolling cigars. They were like rolling papers made to twist up a cigar. They came in tins like that with a wax paper liner. No doubt tins were used for about everything but I think most of the old timers rolled cigarros with those dark sticky cured leaves and a pouch of loose tobacco.

Check out the curves on the ends...it would pinch a stack of cigarettes . Those leaves were cut just like that. Kind of a soft curve so you didn't have any corners coming loose.

Edited September 29, 2013 by Bedrock Bob

[mn90403]

Seeker, Sawmill and BB,

Thanks

I think you all nailed it. I was lucky to find it and not put my pick through it and only have a couple of small scratches. It probably contained leaves at one time because it is so thin it would not hold many nick-knacks. BB you also made a connection with me about wanting to preserve the paint so I'll look for getting some penetrol and using it heavily on the top (other side) because it is very rusty and was laying against more moisture. Some paint is still on that side but mostly rust.

I'll take it on the outing this weekend and see if any of the folks there have an idea about it and I'll share about their thoughts here.

More later ...

Mitchel

[Au Seeker]

I agree on the Penetrol being a good preservative, but it's expensive, about $15 to $17 a quart, if you know any painters they may have some on hand and will give or sell you a small amount in a bottle, you don't need very much and you can treat the tin many times with few ounces.

[Bedrock Bob]

You are right Skip. Expensive stuff. I use it on everything though. Sort of like a super substitute for linseed oil. I use it every time I paint with alkyd paint and wipe it on everything.

Penetrol makes good paint out of cheap paint and keeps any metal from rusting. If it is rusted it leaves a nice burnished look and stops the rust pretty well.

The same company markets Floetrol for latex paint and stains. That stuff is even more amazing. Once I tried it I can't paint without it. Especially trim work. It is a night and day difference when you use it in your paint.

I also use Kroil and Silikroil for rusted metal. It may not be best for artifacts but for about everything that needs a penetrant it is best. I even use Silicroil as gun solvent! Better than anything I have tried for your bore. Like penetrol it is expensive but a cupfull will last a lifetime.

Great stuff!!!

[BeachBumm]

^{I would stop the rust process first with a light coat of naval jelly. Then wipe again with some denatured alcohol, let dry in the sunlight for a short bit and seal with a satin clear coat. Amazing condition! Very cool find.}

Edited November 5, 2013 by BeachBumm