It works for me !!! cleaning bottles !!

[lblackvelvet]

Hello Suzanne,
When I first posted this thread, I wondered if I should have just just kept my method to myself!!! Even though it seemed to be a lot of drama, I ended up making quite a few new friends once I proved that I was '"not" trying to make any money off my idea. All I know is that I have over 600 very clean bottles and none were tumbled!!!!! YES, It is a lot of work, But well worth it to me! If I have helped one person to improve their bottles condition? Well I feel that it was worth all the B.S. I clean 10-15 bottles every week and I have a collection that I am proud to show to anyone who doubts my method. It boils down to how bad you want your bottles clean!!! I spend a lot of hours cleaning bottles, I can afford a tumbler if I choose,But 1500.00 will buy me a lot more bottles to add to my collection. Take care and Thanks,
Kevin.....

 

[reach44]

I'll be trying this method very soon. Sunday or Monday. Will post pics.

 

[lblackvelvet]

Hello Reach4thebottle, If you have any questions, Feel free to send me a PM and I will give you my phone #. This does work if you take the time it requires to get your bottles cleaned. Sometimes it takes several cleanings to remove all the staining. You can take a soft brush and use the compound on the outside of the bottle as well !! Good luck and e-mail me if you need any more info ! Kevin....

 

[suzanne]

You said you made lot's of friend's once you proved you were not out to make money. I believe you should make money. You have a viable alternative to tumbling - and tumbling cost's a lot.

The thing is that in the beginning tumbler guy's would send you a helpful book about how to tumble your bottle's. You think they sent it to you for free? Maybe in a world where Super Man fly through the air like a speeding bullet.

 

[suzanne]

One more thing. If you take the time to look at the post's on this page, you are going to learn fast what over tumbling mean's. Particularly sad, the Warner's with the irridescant colors. Now it's just one more piece of garbage. Tumbling guy's, you have your opinion and I realize your opinion rules
because you pretend that you can clean a bottle with no work and preserve the original charactaristic's of the bottle. I would never try to over step my bound's. You came before I did so that make's you - whatever dude's. If you can't clean a bottle, please don't ruin it for the next generation. Many thank's.

 

[mr.fred]

Why do you Have to keep this Negative Crap Up?. You keep fanning the flames in hopes that anyone will bite!.Make your point and move on for Gods Sake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

 

[FitSandTic]

Sorry to tell you but tumbling bottles is not easy work. I agree you can over tumble bottles but not everybody does this. There are many guys who know how to clean bottles without ruining them. I may not be able to convince you because this is merely opinion but I have had very positive feedback by some collectors who have been doing the bottle collecting thing for many years. Greensboro show last year a gentleman commented on what a great job I did on my bottles. He was surprised when I told him I only had one bottle on my table that I had tumbled. When I asked him to pick it out he chose wrong. Many bottles I find only get tumbled on the inside as well so it does not mess with the outside of the bottle. This process by the way is essentially like tumbling a bottle you just use different equipment. Bottles usually get messed up when people start trying to remove scratches and I feel that it is a risky practice when trying to do that. I respect what you guys are trying to do and give people an alternative to tumbling. As far as helping someone try to learn how to tumble bottles, I am sure there are plenty of people on this site who would be more than happy to teach anyone how the process works. Kevin lives less than an hour from me and he is always welcome to come by and see how my tumbler works. Tumbled bottles are not for everyone and some people do not like them but the fact is there is not much you can do to keep people from tumbling bottles. People want there bottles as close to original state as they can get them and sometimes the only way to get them that way is by using a cleaning process whether it be Kevins process, acids, or tumbling. Stain unfortunately is not a value adding patina to most bottle collectors so if your going to collect bottles it is something that your going to deal with from time to time

 

[T D]

Absolutely fantastic explanation. And as far as tumbler advise, search this category and I guarantee there is plenty of free advise.

 

[FitSandTic]

I just wanted to say one more thing pertaining to stain on bottles. Anytime you find or dig a bottle with a beautiful rainbow patina, then yes there is a stain that does add value to a bottle. I have had bottles of this type before and would never clean one. I read an article in Bottles and Extras one time and this type of stain was referred to as "natures tiffany" and should be considered prizes by collectors.

 

[suzanne]

Attic Finds, I did not mean to give the impression that tumbling is bad. I have seen some really good tumbled bottles. I'll bet you are very good at it. You said you had been doing it 10 year's. Would it be possible for you to post some pictures of your work? The more I read your correspondance the more interested I have become.

The first part of What I am going to say next is not directed at you.

Tumbling can not restore a bottle to it's original condition. In fact, it dramatically alters the bottle forever by removing the top layer of glass along with any interesting textures and characteristics. The trick to cleaning is to leave as much original surface in good condition as possible. People who are experienced tumblers can do that.

As far as free advice on the forum, if you look at what people put up 5 to 10 years ago , it wasn't very helpful. Tumbler people all the time were advertising tumbling books, on the forum and elsewhere, but you had to pay for them. They didn't just get on the forum and tell you exactly what to do, like people do now. In my opinion people who want to learn to use a tumbler should get a book and read it cover to cover before they even get started. Just like with anything else.