Any hope for this Old Topper Bock?

[phoenix]

Is this crowntainer worth trying to clean? I have never cleaned cans before so I am looking for suggestions. Thanks!

[mountainrust]

Stick it in some acid and see what happens. What have you got to lose? Great label. Was it dug recently?

[phoenix]

Stick it in some acid and see what happens. What have you got to lose? Great label. Was it dug recently?

I'm not sure when it was found. I just acquired it earlier this week. I heard it is a tough can though.

[jacoby4664]

Tough would be an understatement. That said, I agree with mountainrust, what do you have to lose by soaking it. Question, did you get this off Facebook? I saw one on there last week. I was surprised to see it and would have grabbed it myself if it had not already been sold.

[phoenix]

Tough would be an understatement. That said, I agree with mountainrust, what do you have to lose by soaking it. Question, did you get this off Facebook? I saw one on there last week. I was surprised to see it and would have grabbed it myself if it had not already been sold.

Hey Bill yes I did just get it off of Facebook. I know it's in rough shape but I don't want to make it any worse lol.

[Jim Romine]

Soak it!
Use warm, not scalding hot water, and SCRUB EASY on the barnacles and around the holes! But scrub often with a soft toothbrush. You should get one respectable face at least.
Is it a Bock crown? If so, it's too good to waste, so don't ruin it while trying to pry it off. Use care and patience. I use angled needle nose pliers, and go all around the cap, loosening it up.
Post pictures!
Jim

[jacoby4664]

Soaking crowntainers is a work in progress for me; I have only been doing it since I was 15 years old: 49 years, off and on. Never really was proficient. Recently I was given some sage advice about doing this, since then, on cans with mostly minor surface spotting, I have had the best success ever. I fill the can with warm water. This warms the cans and the rust. I fill a small glass that the can will fit in and fill it half way with warm to very warm water and add two table spoons of oxalic. This makes a strong solution. I have found the acid works much faster in the warm environment. With the minor rust I have had on the cans I have been doing, I only have been soak them before I take out the first time, 2 to 3 minutes. I take a soft cloth and gently rub the spots, I have been removing 95 to 99% of the minor rust within a maximum of 5 minutes soaking. I have not done a heavily rusted can with this method. I then use soap and water and wash the can, dry it off and use Murphy's car wax to gently clean the can on bring back a shine. The wax will make the colors pop some, it varies can to can, to a lot or a little. The waxing will protect the can from re rusting. Your can with the heavy rust, will undoubtly require a longer soak, but regularly removing and cleaning with the toothbrush as described in another post, is good advice. I do not know about the waxing of a can with a lot of residual spotting, I can imagine that teh wax would be an issue on the cruddy areas. Also, the best way to remove all the paint on a crowntainer is to soak in Citric acid. I speak from experience.

[phoenix]

Jim and Bill thank you both for your help with this. I do appreciate it! I will get some oxalic and give it a try.

[kb]

man, i could drive to your house and help with this.. i have good luck the hell our of crowntainers and gettign a decent ghost like label.. but would follow Jims recipe with this.. start easy and see if its the rust that comes of or if its the rust that has already come off.. was it dumped in the the Vermont area by a FB guy who digs some good labels up there?

[phoenix]

man, i could drive to your house and help with this.. i have good luck the hell our of crowntainers and gettign a decent ghost like label.. but would follow Jims recipe with this.. start easy and see if its the rust that comes of or if its the rust that has already come off.. was it dumped in the the Vermont area by a FB guy who digs some good labels up there?

Hey kb I might take you up on that offer lol. I got this from a guy in Conneticut off of fb marketplace but I don't know if he dumped it.

[kb]

any results to share ....