The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Time for me to take a dip in the new board. I was an avid lurker, but occassional contributor, to the old board.

My wife and I have an agreement that she does not dust or clean my machines. More work for me, but I prefer to use Howard Feed-N-Wax (with beeswax and orange oil) or Kotton Klenser Lemon Oil-Beeswax Polish. I guess I just haven't been paying attention, but she has been using Pledge Revitalizing Oil with Natural Orange Oil on my perfect example of a Victor Granada - no snob attitude, please - it has the orthophonic folded wood horn and is probably my best sounding machine.

We have period Berkey and Gay bedroom furniture. The Granada is almost a perfect match. She has been using the Pledge product on all of the furniture, including the Granada. Despite the composition of the Pledge product [d-Limonene (1-3%), 1,3,5-Tris(trifluoropropyl)trimethylcyclotrisiloxane (3-7%), and Mineral oil USP (90-98%)], it works really well! I wouldn't think that mineral oil was a good product to use on my valued collection. Maybe it is the lacquer finish on the Granada.

I am interested in what other collectors are using for routine cleaning and polishing of their machines. Thanks.

I picked it up thinking it was regular orange oil, so in the sense of getting for a particular task, i.e., simply cleaning, I was a little disappointed. I generally use orange oil to clean the wood, before apply a wax. The Pledge Revitalizing Oil seemed to leave a sort of wax. I can't say that in that capacity, it was bad. It does leave the wood looking good...but I also haven't looked into what goes into it besides orange oil, so I don't know what it does to the finish (particularly a shellac finish).

I use Old English Lemon oil, for most of my wood, and Old English Scratch Cover, for dark woods. For everyday cleaning, the Old English, Areosol. A co-worker of mine, who builds wood fruniture on the side. Recomended it.

Paul

I've used Scott's 'Liquid Gold' since the early 1970's and would rather fight than switch!
John M

Maybe I shouldn't read ingredients, but Scott's Liquid Gold is a product based on petroleum and hydrocarbon-based solvents (petroleum process oil and VM&P Naphtha). When we first purchased our bedroom furniture 35 years ago, we used Scott's Liquid Gold to bring it back to life. It worked great. I stopped using it after I read the ingredients.

I suppose I'm like most people and would prefer to use natural products - lemon/orange oil, beeswax, etc. - if at all possible. I started this thread because I wasn't sure that a steady diet of the mineral oil in the Pledge product was good for my valued wood finishes.

I guess I am looking for the woodworkers/cabinetmakers preference for routine cleaning and maintenance of antique wood surfaces. Thanks.

Hydrocarbons! You say that like it's a bad thing! LOL! Honestly Greg, I have a couple of machines I've owned since high school and they still look as good as the day I first put Liquid Gold on them. Perhaps the petroleum distillates in LG keepthe finishes pliant and 'fed'?
John M

Mineral oil is not a solvent for lacquer or shellac and its presence in furniture polishes is not a problem. For waxing and buffing up a shine (not on alligatored finish) I use Johnsons paste wax and it smells a bit like paint thinner!