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All the Victor/Bluebird, and Decca parts I have transferred (fathers, mothers and stampers) have been nickel-plated copper, the nickel being the recorded surface. (The film Command Performance says Victor also employed a final plating of platinum(!), but I find that more than a little hard to believe.) My experience with parts from the 20's, 30's and 40's is that the nickel rarely shows any signs of tarnish. In any case, I use Noxon metal polish and a suitable soft brush, followed by distilled water and drying with lint-free paper towels. My tests have shown this treatment does not degrade the surface in any audible way. At the Sony Studios they are doing the same. Doug Pomeroy >From: Michael Shoshani <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Michael Shoshani <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Metal Parts >Date: Thu, 15 Sep 2005 17:42:11 -0500 > >Kurt Nauck <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > >Greetings All > > > >What is the preferred method of cleaning and storing metal parts? > > > >I would think that alcohol would be a safe and effective cleaning agent. > >I believe record companies actually cleaned them with naphtha. Victor >stored them vertically in large envelopes, or so they showed in the >promo film "Command Performance" > > >Should anything be applied to keep them from corroding (gun oil, >perhaps)? > >Weren't fathers and stampers usually copper with a nickel backing? >Gun oil might work; you need something to keep the copper from turning >green, but removable so that the recording itself is accessible. I >don't remember what mothers and matrices were made from, or whether >those are susceptible to corrosion... > >Michael Shoshani >Chicago IL _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/