[Held for Ransom]

Just try cleaning a bronze statue and listen to the critics scream...

[njsteve]

Originally Posted by Held for Ransom

Just try cleaning a bronze statue and listen to the critics scream...

I know what you mean.

Every time I watch one of those stupid pawn shop TV shows and see some ignoramus bring in a 200 year old pistol that they just "cleaned up" with some steel wool, I cringe.

And then the idiot pawn broker has to take the gun out and shoot it "cuz a workin' gun is worth more".

Here is an example of patina. This bayonet had been in my Dad's garage in Connecticut, when I was a kid. For years we used it to open motor oil cans, not knowing it was anything special. I originally found it in the oil pit in the floor of the barn on my brother's property next door. The town dates back to the early 1700's. The bayonet is a British Sea Socket Bayonet from circa 1740's, most likely there since the Revolutionary War. I tried getting it appraised several times over the years but every time I ask for a valuation for insurance purposes, they always come back with "will you sell it?" That's when I know they aren't going to give me an accurate value. So it goes back in the safe. It is a neat piece and has a perfect original patina to it. All I have done is keep it wrapped in an old oily cloth.

[njsteve]

I found a vintage set of AC R44TS triple green striped insulator, spark plugs on ebay. I got them for $14 from someone selling estate stuff from an old garage. I installed them today, replacing the recent AC R44TS set that was put in there a couple years ago. The car runs noticeably smoother. (Probably because one or two of the plug wires were not fully seated on the plugs to begin with).

The plugs I pulled out all had nice tan insulators and appeared to be burning nicely. The one thing I noticed was that the vintage green stripe plugs have a 3/8" shorter insulator than the modern versions. Anyone have any idea why they made the modern ones longer?