Using Kotton Klenser.. Anyone have any info or thoughts?

[Victrolaman]

Hi,
I was told using Kotton Klenseris a good way to clean and somewhat restore a finish thats turned black and dark.
I have a Victor 17 i want to restore the finish but without stripping it. It is in very nice shape cabinet wise and veneer is perfect, just the finish is so dark, you cant see the wood grain or the mahagany anymore, using this and 0000 steel wool, will this bring it back to life? i mean whatb exactly does Kotton Klenser do to the finish clean it restore it?
I have never used it but have been told its a good substitute to Totally restripping and redoing,
I know alot of you have been collection a long time and i value your thoughts and knowledge, i want to try and use it but want to make sure im not going to ruin this either, any thoughts or help i would greatly apreciate.

Mike

[Jerry B.]

I like the product and have used it for years with good results. I use oooo steel wool and clean one section at a time and wipe it off. I'd also suggest using ammonia for cleaning the gold parts. I have read some posts that claim that a particular brand of hand cleaner is the same as Kotton Klenser but I have never tried it. Others? Jerry Blais

[barnettrp21122]

GoJo Creme Handcleaner without pumice SEEMS to be quite similar to Kotton Klenser, but that's just an opinion of myself and many others. It's available in most hardware stores. I've used it to clean wood surfaces using a wide brush, leaving it on for about five minutes, and then wiping off with paper towel or soft rag. Just doing this much will make a surprising difference on a finish that's basically just dirty.
Here is a picture of my VV-XVII while I was cleaning it:

My machine had gotten finely alligatored over the entire surface, and I elected to just clean it, rather than to make any attempt to make it look showroom new. I let the cleaned cabinet sit for several days and then rubbed on some beeswax/lemon oil polish on it.
I'd recommend just cleaning yours first without any abrasives, including steel wool. It's altogether too easy to wear down the finish, especially at the corners and edges, and the wood will start looking "messed with," rather than original. Most collectors object to refinishing (unless perhaps a machine had already been ruined with a prior attempt)and once you start any "restoration" the machine's finish can never be considered original, OMHO.
Bob

[estott]

One caution with GoJo- it does soften the finish slightly so don't let anything rest on the surface until it has thoroughly dried. I cleaned a Columbia "Princess" Grafonola with GoJo and got very good results, but I thoughtlessly left the lid of the container resting on the lower shelf- the result is a thin glossy ring which stands out against the slightly aligatored surface.

[Jerry B.]

Kotton Klenser also softens the finish. When I finish a project, I let it sit for couple of days to let it dry.

[Zeppy]

And let the GoJo/Kotton Klenser wars begin!!!!

All kidding aside, I've used both with success....but I know there are some who are very passionate about the use of one or the other.

[mrvictormuseum]

I've used both with success. I use 0000 steel wool to apply gently. I let it sit for 30 minutes then I "wash" the residue off with soft rags and Howard's Restore-a-Finish in the appropriate color, and then use a clean rag to wipe off the Howards.

[Victrolaman]

And let the GoJo/Kotton Klenser wars begin!!!!

All kidding aside, I've used both with success....but I know there are some who are very passionate about the use of one or the other.

so will it lighten the color of the cabinet a little bit as well
?
Mine is so dark I can't see the grain in the veneer anymore
I hate to think of stripping but it is almost dark brown black color
it doesn't look good
maybe I better post a pic of it befor I do it so you all can give me your opinion
how do I get into all the carvings and stuff?
I did use that howards feed and wax on it looked good for 10 mins and once it dried it looked the same I think the finish is to hard and aligatored

[barnettrp21122]

You'll get a surprising amount of dark brown gook off your cabinet surface using either product, if the surface hasn't been cleaned recently. As shown in my photo posted above, you can see the difference between the left uncleaned side and the right side after a single cleaning. I hadn't thought that there'd be such a difference with mine; the surface didn't seem too dirty in the first place!
The carvings can be dealt with using the same brush, dabbing the cleaner over the surfaces. Remove with a turkish towel rag and finish with a cotton ball or swab. Be sure and open the cabinet doors as you clean, and wipe any residue off the top and bottom edges before it dries.
Bob

[antique1973]

I've used both with success. I use 0000 steel wool to apply gently. I let it sit for 30 minutes then I "wash" the residue off with soft rags and Howard's Restore-a-Finish in the appropriate color, and then use a clean rag to wipe off the Howards.

I use the same technique regularly.