Cleaning and preserving Civil War artillery Shells / Start to finish

In this video I show the processes I use cleaning and preserving a batch of Civil War artillery shells I found from start to finish. It is a long video and while not intended as a How To video, I do highlight and discuss each step in the process and show you how exactly how I do it. Hopefully it will offer a little insight for those interested.

[@WatcherintheDark69]

Awesome Video! Your shells turned out great! I also used a hammer and flathead to get the rust and concretion out of the sabot groove; it really takes a lot of care not to damage it any more than it already is. Also another detail is that the electrolysis process blackens the metal; most people like it but, if they don't they can carefully wire brush it before coating it in either wax or lacquer. And of course safety through the entire process; it might sound like a broken record to some people but it's just to keep them safe and not to have any accidents or severe injuries. GL HH

[@BirdDogg]

+WatcherintheDark69 Thanks Watcher! Slow Steady and Safe are the keys! A lot of work!!

[@davek88]

Great video, and the shells turned out fantastic!! Along with your safety goggles when you were hammering the stuff off, you should use gloves of some sort! You came fairly close to hitting your thumb!

[@BirdDogg]

Thanks Dave. I reckon you're right about the gloves, you would think a musician would be more careful but my old lady don't call me the unhandyman for nothing!

[@davek88]

Your totally right. A musician should be EXTRA careful about their fingers... But if you wield a hammer many times, you do get the hang of not hitting the fingers and thumb! =)

[@P.B.Theriver]

Hey BirdDogg, the outside looks great but what about the inside? Do you ever get the inside looking as good as the outside? It would be cool to be able to shine a flashlight on the inside to see the powder chamber at the bottom all cleaned out.

[@armyretired28]

I moved to western NC not far from Boone NC and after moving there I found out an old house use to be where mine is sitting today. Clearing some land to pave driveway I noticed something in the dirt, I reached down and picked up one Grapeshot ball pitted but still round and intact. I couldn't believe my luck, I had no idea they were possibly a battle fought there, could be a battle of "Stonemans Raid" that was in that area?

[@BirdDogg]

Could be. I know they were out around swannanoa

[@tommyvinson6]

Very interesting and informative

[@BirdDogg]

+Tommy Vinson Thanks Tommy!

[@terrywivey6596]

Good job. Lots of hard work. They sure looked good when you finished.

[@BirdDogg]

+Terry W Ivey A labor of love!

[@MentalMetal]

Great video my friend!

[@BirdDogg]

+MentalMetal Thanks Mental, I enjoyed cleaning them up. It was like Christmas!

[@PommyDownUnder]

Well done mate, got to have patience doing that. What type of wax is it???

[@BirdDogg]

+Pommy-Down-Under Thanks Pommy!! It is just paraffin wax that I bought at a craft store. They have it for making candles, just don't buy the scented kind, well unless you want your cannonballs to smell like flowers!

[@BirdDogg]

+Pommy-Down-Under Thanks Pommy!! It is just paraffin wax that I bought at a craft store. They have it for making candles, just don't buy the scented kind, well unless you want your cannonballs to smell like flowers!

[@PommyDownUnder]

+BirdDog Relic Hunting Thanks for that, I will have to get me some, not for things like shells (I wish) but for smaller items. Cheers, Glyn.

[@jasondigginva7564]

Have you ever used Gempler to preserve after electrolysis. check it out..

[@BirdDogg]

+Jason Warren I have not, but I will check it out, thanks!

[@jasondigginva7564]

it's a rust prohibited, much safer than wax. GL

[@DDMMetalDetectives]

cool video on your process for presserving your shells.

[@BirdDogg]

+DDM Metal Detectives Thanks!!

[@stevenhurt8896]

Thanks. Really good how to vid.

[@BirdDogg]

+Steven Hurt Thanks Steven!!

[@William9-e1i]

very good video!!!

[@BirdDogg]

+William 9 Thanks William!!