The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

I’m new to this hobby and just got my first phonograph, a Victor E. The horn is in good shape, but I’d like to restore it. At the very least, I want to clean it up and remove some dents. What’s the best way to go about doing those? I’d also like to touch up some of the black paint, so what kind of paint would you recommend? Lastly, would it be better to try to paint a coat of brass-colored paint on the end or leave it be and polish it heavily?

I'd wax the paint, polish the horn with brass polish, and not attempt to touch up the paint. Any touch ups stand out and are a distraction.

Jerry B.

Jerry B. wrote:I'd wax the paint, polish the horn with brass polish, and not attempt to touch up the paint. Any touch ups stand out and are a distraction.

Jerry B.

Do you think it would still stand out if I painted over all the black, rather than just the scratches?

Jerry is right.

The paint looks really good assuming it is original and it's over a hundred years old. Repainting completely doesn't look at all necessary and would damage the value and originality. If the scratches bother you they could be touched in with a thin coat of hobbyist black enamel paint or car touch up paint. Keep it thin so it doesn't stand proud so use it like a thin wash. If it doesn't look right it can be quickly removed with white spirit. The paint can be cleaned with a fine cut car paint cleaner/reviver. In the states you have Meguires fine cut which is excellent. I brought some back here as our T-Cut isn't as fine.

Don't put gold paint on the brass bell, it will look horrible and wrong. Either leave it or polish back to shiny brass, some collectors would leave it and some wouldn't. I've seen different opinions on here. Originally it was polished and then clear lacquered to prevent tarnishing.

I find that small dents can be rolled out between 2 old wooden darning mushrooms. I'll try to post a picture of what I mean.

You are very fortunate to have a nearly complete all original Victor E. It needs so very little to be an outstanding original machine. Please clean the cabinet. Clean the nickel bright parts. Rebuild the Exhibition. Wax the black body of the horn. Polish the bell. Please please please do not paint the body of the horn and absolutely do not paint the bell.

There are plenty of machines out in the wild that need restoration. Yours needs cleaning and servicing not a restoration. Your machine has decent value. Some of the things you've suggested will reduce the value of your machine.

If you'd like to try a restoration look for something like a Victrola IV or VI project machine. But even then please buy something that really needs a restoration.

Welcome to the Forum,

Jerry Blais

I would recommend bar keepers friend for the brass/nickel. Get it in powder form.

jamiegramo wrote:Jerry is right.



I find that small dents can be rolled out between 2 old wooden darning mushrooms. I'll try to post a picture of what I mean.

Where do you get the darning mushrooms ?? I would like to see the pic. I would think you use one on each side at the same time. Nice trick. Will that work on all bells or only brass??? Tom

tomb wrote:

jamiegramo wrote:Jerry is right.



I find that small dents can be rolled out between 2 old wooden darning mushrooms. I'll try to post a picture of what I mean.

Where do you get the darning mushrooms ?? I would like to see the pic. I would think you use one on each side at the same time. Nice trick. Will that work on all bells or only brass??? Tom

The picture of the darning mushrooms I have now attached to my post. I don't have a pic of them in use but you are right you use one on each side of the metal and roll them against each other. They should work on small dents in sheet brass and steel. It depends on the thickness of sheet and pressure applied. You can try a nicely rounded end of a wooden broom handle for the narrow part of a horn.

It seems darning mushrooms are still sold new. You wouldn't think people would sit down and darn holes in socks anymore! I mean a packet of socks is so cheap to buy... all the mushrooms I have were thrown out by my local charity (thrift) shops as considered too old fashioned and redundant to sell. That said I see you can buy new ones on eBay and Amazon. The new ones tend to be beech wood which is nice and hard.

Jamie

darn darning mushrooms!

Reading this, and your other posts, my very best advice to you is to slow down a bit. Some of the things you propose to do, (while very well intended), will greatly damage the originality, and therefore the value and historic nature, of your very nice phonograph.

To your great credit, you are asking advice before you proceed!

Welcome to the hobby!!

The others are absolutely right...

The machine itself needs some cleaning (NOT refinishing) and the horn is in great original shape... DO NOT PAINT THE HORN OR TOUCH IT UP WITH PAINT, as it will never match, never look right and will definitely devalue it. Unless you have a buffing wheel setup and know how to buff brass correctly, DO NOT USE BRASS CLEANER, BARKEEPERS or ANY OTHER BRASS CLEANER ON THE BELL. If it still has the old protective finish on the brass and has just aged over time, it is a pain to try to remove it to correctly polish it and brass cleaner will just make it look like $h#t. Either have it polished professionally or leave it alone...

Waxing the paint is not a great idea, either. If there are scratches or rust spots, the wax will adhere to them and not polish off, leaving white spots. (just like waxing flat painted areas on your car trim)

At the risk of going out on a limb with an unconventional method, here is what I have done to rejuvenate black painted finishes (no negative comments, unless you have actually tried this method). The best thing about this method, is that it is reversible if you don't like it.
Touch up the scratches with a fine point Sharpie permanent marker. When finished, the touchups will stand out against the original paint as shiny spots - don't worry...
Then spray the entire horn with WD-40 and wipe it back off with a soft cloth. Magically, the Sharpie touchups will disappear and the black paint will take on a rejuvenated look, as if someone took good care of it over the past 100+ years. This method is guaranteed not to harm your original paint, in fact you don't have to use the Sharpie, just WD-40 over the entire painted surface... Don't worry about minor dents, either... the machine is over 100 years old and not supposed to look like it was new and never touched.

Just my two cents...