Re: Another HMV 101 in Teak
Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2017 5:38 pm
Well, I confess I must back off and agree with Steve, at least in so far as one should always try the least invasive approaches first.
I do not necessarily rule out what I did with my own machine (I know quite well that people will still disagree) but I did so only after other reversible techniques were attempted. That I forgot to mention. I tried straight wax to fill in the alligatored surface—didn’t work. Then I tried a cleaning formula that I mix myself that I have used with success. The formula calls for Brasso, but I leave that out as too abrasive. I even tried another reversible technique that a museum curator recommends for alligatored surfaces, which to describe would take me too far afield. But it didn’t work either.
Then, after trying to redissolve the shellac (so that I would at least have the original shellac) I made the conscious decision to remove the shellac. Here my goal was to try to recreate the original intention of the manufacturer knowing full well that I could never really do so. That was a curatorial decision on my part. With regards to your teak machine, my recommendation totally jumped the gun and went straight for removing the shellac, forgetting that I had done these other steps first for a machine that was in a different state: Your shellac doesn't seem deteriorated, just scratched. Most definitely you want to keep the historical integrity of the machine intact. So, yes, absolutely follow what Steve writes. Don't jump the gun and immediately start removing the shellac. My fear was when you used the word refinish that meant stripper, sand paper, polyurethane—who knows all what. Sorry for the suggestion.
The least invasive technique is to do nothing. That's always an option. Preserves the piece in the condition you found it. If you don't like that option, then you are engaged in altering the surface. The question is, how far do you go and for what end? Are you trying to make the piece look brand new? Or have 90 years of tender loving care? Very little has survived in that condition. These are questions people ask on either side of the Atlantic.
I do not necessarily rule out what I did with my own machine (I know quite well that people will still disagree) but I did so only after other reversible techniques were attempted. That I forgot to mention. I tried straight wax to fill in the alligatored surface—didn’t work. Then I tried a cleaning formula that I mix myself that I have used with success. The formula calls for Brasso, but I leave that out as too abrasive. I even tried another reversible technique that a museum curator recommends for alligatored surfaces, which to describe would take me too far afield. But it didn’t work either.
Then, after trying to redissolve the shellac (so that I would at least have the original shellac) I made the conscious decision to remove the shellac. Here my goal was to try to recreate the original intention of the manufacturer knowing full well that I could never really do so. That was a curatorial decision on my part. With regards to your teak machine, my recommendation totally jumped the gun and went straight for removing the shellac, forgetting that I had done these other steps first for a machine that was in a different state: Your shellac doesn't seem deteriorated, just scratched. Most definitely you want to keep the historical integrity of the machine intact. So, yes, absolutely follow what Steve writes. Don't jump the gun and immediately start removing the shellac. My fear was when you used the word refinish that meant stripper, sand paper, polyurethane—who knows all what. Sorry for the suggestion.
The least invasive technique is to do nothing. That's always an option. Preserves the piece in the condition you found it. If you don't like that option, then you are engaged in altering the surface. The question is, how far do you go and for what end? Are you trying to make the piece look brand new? Or have 90 years of tender loving care? Very little has survived in that condition. These are questions people ask on either side of the Atlantic.