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HELP: Doily mark seen only with a glare

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 9:44 am
by SittingRabbit
A doily or something was sticky that sat upon the lid. It's almost like a watermark, but can only be seen with a glare. Thoughts on how to buff it out?

Thanks everyone!

Re: HELP: Doily mark seen only with a glare

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 2:30 pm
by soundgen
Three thoughts

first can you tell the finish ? French polish or cellulose

If it is something from the doily which has permeated into the finish you could try blotting paper and a warm iron on a small area to see if it will reabsorb into the paper if that has no effect

If the finish is French Polish try an alcohol rub again in a tiny area

If it is cellulose you need a cellulose thinner to rub again into a small area

Whichever works if French polish or Cellulose thinner you can then fairly easily using the appropriate solvent to refinish the original lacquer

Re: HELP: Doily mark seen only with a glare

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 3:53 pm
by SittingRabbit
Thanks,I'll try those.

Re: HELP: Doily mark seen only with a glare

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 4:32 pm
by Curt A
One other thought, though probably controversial... Use #0000 steel wool (the finest) saturated with WD-40 or "Goo-Gone", don't use "Goof-Off" since it might remove the finish. Either one removes sticky stuff and the very fine steel wool will buff it off. Try it in a small area first, but I have used this method successfully on other projects.

Alcohol will soften and re-amalgamate the finish, if that is what you want, but it opens up other problems like re-blending the entire finish. The above method will not soften or remove your original finish, just potentially remove the problem area.

Re: HELP: Doily mark seen only with a glare

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 7:02 pm
by JerryVan
It doesn't appear that there's anything that's been deposited on the finish. Instead, the pattern appears to be impressed into the finish.

Re: HELP: Doily mark seen only with a glare

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 10:34 pm
by SittingRabbit
Curt A wrote:One other thought, though probably controversial... Use #0000 steel wool (the finest) saturated with WD-40 or "Goo-Gone", don't use "Goof-Off" since it might remove the finish. Either one removes sticky stuff and the very fine steel wool will buff it off. Try it in a small area first, but I have used this method successfully on other projects.

Alcohol will soften and re-amalgamate the finish, if that is what you want, but it opens up other problems like re-blending the entire finish. The above method will not soften or remove your original finish, just potentially remove the problem area.

Hmmm, I have those things. Thanks!

Re: HELP: Doily mark seen only with a glare

Posted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 10:34 pm
by SittingRabbit
JerryVan wrote:It doesn't appear that there's anything that's been deposited on the finish. Instead, the pattern appears to be impressed into the finish.
Correct

Re: HELP: Doily mark seen only with a glare

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2020 11:28 am
by 52089
SittingRabbit wrote:
Curt A wrote:One other thought, though probably controversial... Use #0000 steel wool (the finest) saturated with WD-40 or "Goo-Gone", don't use "Goof-Off" since it might remove the finish. Either one removes sticky stuff and the very fine steel wool will buff it off. Try it in a small area first, but I have used this method successfully on other projects.

Alcohol will soften and re-amalgamate the finish, if that is what you want, but it opens up other problems like re-blending the entire finish. The above method will not soften or remove your original finish, just potentially remove the problem area.

Hmmm, I have those things. Thanks!
Before you try the alcohol treatment, make sure the area you are treating is completely clean, otherwise you will just be moving dirt deeper into the finish.

Re: HELP: Doily mark seen only with a glare

Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2020 11:54 am
by SittingRabbit
52089 wrote:
SittingRabbit wrote:
Curt A wrote:One other thought, though probably controversial... Use #0000 steel wool (the finest) saturated with WD-40 or "Goo-Gone", don't use "Goof-Off" since it might remove the finish. Either one removes sticky stuff and the very fine steel wool will buff it off. Try it in a small area first, but I have used this method successfully on other projects.

Alcohol will soften and re-amalgamate the finish, if that is what you want, but it opens up other problems like re-blending the entire finish. The above method will not soften or remove your original finish, just potentially remove the problem area.

Will do, and thanks.

Hmmm, I have those things. Thanks!
Before you try the alcohol treatment, make sure the area you are treating is completely clean, otherwise you will just be moving dirt deeper into the finish.

Re: HELP: Doily mark seen only with a glare

Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2020 3:32 pm
by PeterF
This thing works like a champ on exactly this sort of problem. I wish someone could figure out what they use, so we could make our own, but in the meantime this is a decent deal:

Guardsman Water Mark Remover... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LHDWX4K?re ... b_ap_share