# Sick glass



## glass_digger (Nov 6, 2019)

I dug up some old bottles and after cleaning them with vinegar there is still a cloudy appearance on the glass. I was wondering if it is better to leave the glass cloudy to show its age or is it better to try to make it look new again.

Thanks


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## CanadianBottles (Nov 6, 2019)

It's better to try and make it look new again, but it's also really hard without putting it through a tumbling machine, which costs a fair bit if you don't have your own.  That hazy appearance is often damage to the surface of the glass itself, so there's no cleaning it off in that case.


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## nhpharm (Nov 7, 2019)

I like them to show their age and history.  Unless they are an inherently beautiful bottle (which most honestly are not) I don't really feel like tumbling them is worthwhile.


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## WesternPA-collector (Nov 7, 2019)

glass_digger said:


> I dug up some old bottles and after cleaning them with vinegar there is still a cloudy appearance on the glass. I was wondering if it is better to leave the glass cloudy to show its age or is it better to try to make it look new again.
> 
> Thanks




If the haze doesn't personally bother you, keep it the way it is. But if you are wanting to sell them, some buyers will make a big deal about haze. Especially ones who expect vintage items to look like a new one.


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## glass_digger (Nov 7, 2019)

thanks all


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## lcaryswva (Nov 14, 2019)

For the inside of bottles you can use Denture cleaning tablets that works well.


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## hemihampton (Dec 16, 2019)

I prefer to Tumble them. Before & after pics below. LEON.


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## WesternPA-collector (Dec 16, 2019)

lcaryswva said:


> For the inside of bottles you can use Denture cleaning tablets that works well.


That's a new one I never heard of that and will try it.


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## WesternPA-collector (Dec 16, 2019)

hemihampton said:


> I prefer to Tumble them. Before & after pics below. LEON.


That makes a big difference!


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## Screwtop (Dec 16, 2019)

I'd love to tumble some of my bottles, but I'd like to have my own tumbler. I think I'll rig up something one of these days.


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## HouTxSoda (Dec 20, 2019)

I have to give you the standard warning about tumbling bottles - if you ever plan to sell them, some collectors love tumbled bottles, others wont touch them.
Do whatever YOU want to do.


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## slugplate (Dec 21, 2019)

HouTxSoda said:


> I have to give you the standard warning about tumbling bottles - if you ever plan to sell them, some collectors love tumbled bottles, others wont touch them.
> Do whatever YOU want to do.


I'm a non-tumbler myself. IMHO, cleanliness of the glass is moot and should not detract from its price, but to some it does. As diggers and hunters we know that "Not all things that shine is gold". A bottle can look good and be pleasant to the eye, but not worth much. Some bottles don't look half as good as others that are worth thousands. Honestly I'd NEVER tumble a bottle, I won't take that risk. Collectors know the value of bottles regardless of their outward appearance.


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## martyfoley (Jan 12, 2020)

I used to use fine sand or gravel with a few drops of dish detergent.  Fill the bottle half way and shake thoroughly.  You would think the inside of the bottle would get scratched but it doesn't not in my experience.  Works great to get the soft gunky material or dirt out of the bottle.  You may have to do this a few times for pesky dirt.  
For stained bottles not much you can do as the stain is actually in the glass.  Some say limeaway or denture tablets may help, haven't tried them.  Some bottles come out of the dirt clean as the day they were thrown away, others get stained badly over the years.  Soil conditions, material left in the bottle can determine staining or not.


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Jan 27, 2020)

I don't use on any nice bottles but i have on ones not worth tumbling. Mineral oil work great to clear up sick glass. Never use on a bottle you intend on selling. Thats just low.


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## imtellingyouitsnotmine (Feb 19, 2020)

im a new digger barely a month old and a I've been digging a dump that lies on the edge of saltwater lots of sick glass and was looking for a cure ,   you all have great ideas.  I'm an electrician and we used to sandblast the inside of motors with pecan shells or walnut shells because they couldn't hurt the copper I wonder if anybody's tried something like that


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## ROBBYBOBBY64 (Feb 19, 2020)

I have used walnut shell to polish. It worked well. The shell breaks dowmore than i expected. I used a tumbler. Now i use copper bb's.  I am a tileman 35 years and polish mostly with diamond pads or felt with aluminum oxide cream on a water fed polisher. Tumbling is the only real cure for sickglass. Some collectors do not like tumbled bottles and wont buy them. Some like natural as found state stains rust in all its sick glory.


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## Mjbottle (Oct 30, 2020)

hemihampton said:


> I prefer to Tumble them. Before & after pics below. LEON.
> [/QUOTE
> 
> 
> ...


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## hemihampton (Oct 30, 2020)

PROBABLY 3 DAYS.


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