A rare and historically interesting steam engine was donated to the Milwaukee Public Museum in the Spring of 1981. It was intended that the engine be exhibited at the time of a meeting of historians of technology at the Museum in October of that year. The engine required extensive cleaning but in order to retain the existing paint layer the apparent standard cleaning method -- stripping with sodium hydroxide in hot water -- was replaced with a method of blasting with graded walnut shell medium. A protective coating was also applied. Comments and criticism were elicited from the historians in an attempt to open a dialogue between them and conservators concerning the cleaning method used and the general question of the conservation of industrial artifacts. The philosophical and technical considerations surrounding this and other industrial artifacts are discussed.