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Author
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Topic: Can Sokol KV-01 gloves be safely cleaned?
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dom
Member Posts: 855
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 01-24-2007 01:40 PM
   
I recently got my hands (excuse the pun!) on some vintage 1970s Sokol K-1 gloves, the ones mainly constructed of shiny beta cloth (?) and cotton fingers over the latex inner lining.Unfortunately they need a clean to bring them back to their original white colour. Is this possible without damaging them? Has anyone had any success bringing something like this 'back to life'? Any advice is welcomed! |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 01-24-2007 02:23 PM
A while back I saw on tv a show featuring two irritating Scottish ladies. The show is all about how they descend like vultures on to some poor saps' house that has not been cleaned in years. They then go about belittling the poor sod and cleaning up the pad with a mixture of good tips and shame tactics..Anyway, one time they talked about cleaning fabric (stains on curtains I think it was) with a damp cloth and mild hand soap; the cloth was dabbed on to the soap bar. I tried the technique on a pair of Orlan EVA gloves that were just a bit grubby and it worked a treat. The secret was not having the cloth too damp (ring it out well) and don't dwell so long on any one spot that the fabric you are cleaning become soaked. Hope it helps. You might want to test it out first for yourself before tackling the gloves themselves. |
spacekid2
Member Posts: 199
From: San Diego, CA, USA
Registered: Jul 2004
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posted 01-24-2007 04:15 PM
I am certainly no expert but... I have often heard from the "experts" in antiques and such that any older item should be left alone. I have also wondered what to do in cleaning the cloth webbing of my old Sokol ShL-3d headset. This gray leather headset is from the 1970's and the webbing for the headset looks discolored or dirty. I thought it would look so much better if I cleaned it (bringing back its original white color). But then I thought it is dirty for a reason, like it was used by the Cosmonauts who trained for early Soyuz missions. So there it sits displayed in all its' dirty glory (the result of many sweaty cosmonauts heads). So my advice is... if it is not too dirty leave well enough alone and avoid damaging the glove material. |
collocation
Member Posts: 383
From: McLean, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2004
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posted 01-24-2007 05:54 PM
Contact the folks at the Garber annex of the National Air and Space Museum, they have hundreds of gloves and suits in storage. In fact during a recent tour, the guide stated that back in the 60s and 70s they actually dry cleaned spacesuits which was a huge mistake. |
Rick Mulheirn
Member Posts: 4167
From: England
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 01-25-2007 06:32 AM
I should have put my own experience into context. The Orlan gloves I cleaned were not flown, in fact I don't think they had even been worn. They certainly could not be attributed to any particular cosmonaut.But I took the opportunity to have Alexei Leonov sign them; they make for a nice display item. And that is why I lightly cleaned them. Other suit items I have are untouched. The grime, stains and general patina being part of the historical nature of such items. The National Air and Space Museum has a Mike Collins Snoopy cap with his name written across the skull in black felt pen. But when restoring the suit collection they decided to leave it for that very reason. |
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