Conservation and restoration of iron and steel objects
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Iron, steel, and ferrous metals constitute a large portion of collections in museums. The conservation and restoration of iron and steel objects is an activity dedicated to the preservation and protection of objects of historical and personal value made from iron or steel. When applied to cultural heritage this activity is generally undertaken by a conservator-restorer. Historically, objects made from iron or steel were created for religious, artistic, technical, military and domestic uses. Though it is generally not possible to completely halt deterioration of any object, the act of conservation and restoration strives to prevent and slow the deterioration of the object as well as protecting the object for future use. One of the first steps in caring for iron is to examine them and determine their state, determine if they are corroding, and consider options for treatment.[1]
The prevention and removal of surface dirt and corrosion products are some of the primary concerns of conservator-restorers when dealing with iron or steel objects, including nickel-iron meteorites. Conservation and restoration of iron and steel may begin with analysis of the environment that the objects will be stored and displayed in. Preventive conservation and understanding the agents of deterioration that affect the specific object are often considered some of the important first steps.[2] A prerequisite for conservation and restoration of not only iron and steel, but also all collections items is systematic and well-managed, including documentation of the state of objects before, during and after treatment.[3] Identification of materials and procedures used to produce objects and the results of any scientific research must be part of documentation, too. Last but not least, an integral part of the documentation must be a recommendation for further care of object. Once thorough documentation, analysis, and discussion has occurred, possible treatment techniques can be considered and performed on the objects.