Crazy cleaning questions

[SC]

All right.  Time for some crazy cleaning questions.

1) I noticed an advertisement on French fleabay for a coin cleaning pencil (a "crayon grattoir monaies") which appears to be a pencil with compressed OOO steel wool in place of the regular graphite.  The advert with it shows a Maxentius CONSERV VRB SVAE nummus supposedly cleaned with it.

Any heard of this thing before?  Anyone tried it?  Even OOO steel wool could easily damage patina.  On the other hand the pencil format would make it easy to control pressure.  Apparently you can sharpen this OOO steel wool "lead" with a regular pencil sharpener, a knife or a box-cutter.

2) I came up from a coin cleaning session in the basement the other day and unloaded the dishes from the dishwasher.  Looking at how clean the dishes and cutlery were I began thinking the inevitable.  "Hmmm, can you use this thing to clean coins???" 

Hey, come on admit it, someone out there must have tried it at least once.  After all isn't dishwaher detergent a lot like one of the Gringott's mixes??  Obviously you have to have the coins in something like a net bag.  Also, if you had a bunch of coins together they could knock about and get scratched so they might need to be isolated from each other.  I searched thrrough back threads and only seemed to find one where a guy casually noted he had shifted his coin back and forth between freezer and dishwasher.

Hey, I warned you in the title these were crazy questions.

Shawn

[crawforde]

I have used the dishwasher and a net bag for some very dirty Chinese cash coins I had.  First I put the coins in the mesh bag, and sprayed them with a hose until all the loose dirt was washed away.  Then they went in the machine (I snuck the bag in when my wife wasn't watching).
I didn't notice that it did much good.  No more than a little work with a toothbrush.  But if you have a full Kg or two it might be a worthwhile step.  I never tried it again.
The pencil with steel wool thing sounds interesting, but may be a bit aggressive if not used with care.

[casata137ec]

I have tried the washing machine method...doesnt work (but the coins smell nice!). I have also tried the dish washer...same results.

I do not see the steel wool pencil as being any more of a risk that a DD tool. Might even be a bit gentler. May be a pain trying to get it in to smaller areas (between legends, etc.), but without ever seeing one I do not know. If you go with the pencil, let me know how it works! I am always looking for more tools!

Chris

[gavignano]

Tried the washing machine also, gentle cycle of course. Like Chris, the coins smelled good! But they were no cleaner. 
The other day I power washed my home, and had a thought, but, how could you keep the coins from flying all over the neighborhood? so...

[renegade3220]

Tried the washing machine also, gentle cycle of course. Like Chris, the coins smelled good! But they were no cleaner. 
The other day I power washed my home, and had a thought, but, how could you keep the coins from flying all over the neighborhood? so...

Hold the coin in your hand. Pressure washers don't hurt that bad if.you use the right tip. Or glove up and do it. I may need to try this on a slug... See if the patina comes right off as well.

[crawforde]

I am curious about the cleaning "pencil" mentioned in the OP.
Did you order one? Did it work?
It seems like it might be a  good and controllable idea for cleaning inside the calligraphy of Chinese cash.

[SC]

No, I did not buy a pencil yet.  I use pins and scalpels, under magnification, for most fine work and I am worried about how harsh the OOO wool still it.  I had not though of cleaning cash but you are right.

I may try to order one in which case I will report. 

I was kind of hoping someone had already tried one.

Shawn