The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Just brought home a very raggedy Victrola VV-IX. Took out the Howard Restor-a-Shine and gave it a cleaning and polish. Still a bit raggedy, but at least it shines.

Cliff

Don’t you clean it and remove the paint splatter first? Maybe I’m wrong... I thought howards was the last step, unless you use some sort of feed wax as well.

Usually people use restore-a-finish first. Then follow up with feed and wax and restore a shine.
Cliff, you have a nice machine there. I am sure it will turn out great.

I use Restor-a-Shine first, it cleans and polishes, gets rid of all the grunge. Restor-a-Finish comes after the cleaning and polishing. I've always been a backward kind of person...

Restor-a-Shine is not a wax that applies to the surface, it seems to actually clean and polish down to the shellac. The subsequent application of Restor-a-Finish does not affect the cleaned and polished surface, it is retained.

Restor-a-Shine works pretty well on the small paint spots. A bit of scraping with a fingernail helps. And a lot of rubbing.



Cliff

Thank you for posting that, Cliff. I've never used that product and I'm impressed with the results you demonstrated. Cheers, Russie

In all the years that I have been doing this, I never heard of Restore A Shine. I'll have to get some. Does it come in different colors like restore a finish?
Harvey Kravitz

Phonofreak wrote:In all the years that I have been doing this, I never heard of Restore A Shine. I'll have to get some. Does it come in different colors like restore a finish?
Harvey Kravitz

Hi, Harvey. It is a polish only, no flavors. Polishes a lot of stuff, just about anything with a painted, enameled, or shellacked surface. Doesn't do much for rusty things or plain wood.

Another before-after comparison, this an Edison B19 diamond disc phono cabinet. It was covered with a horribly goobered surface. This time, denatured alcohol did the trick. And a lot of rubbing.

Nice to know the wood is still in good condition.

Will this stuff damage decals or transfers?
Harvey Kravitz

Phonofreak wrote:Will this stuff damage decals or transfers?
Harvey Kravitz

The Restor-a-Shine won't harm a decal that has shellac over it, but if there is no shellac, it will remove the high points. If the wood under the decal is 'bumpy', the high points could be rubbed away. If the surface is bumpy with heavy crazing, the decal will be safe as there is shellac over it. The crazing will be smoothed considerably.

Cliff