Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Grape Ape]

I have an old Hohner Presswood in AD I am trying to restore and wonder if there is something that can be done to tidy up the finish.  It seems a bit faded in spots and others seem to have the dirt worn in.  I would love to bring out the contrast a bit, and just make the finish overall a little fresher looking.

Thanks for any idea or nods towards old threads that cover this.

[Theo]

A quick and effective method is to thoroughly clean the surfaces with a detergent on a damp cloth and wipe down with clean water.  The when thoroughly dry French polish rubbed on with a soft cloth.   This will go a long way towards concealing scratches and covering worn areas and giving the finish a nice shine.  Depending on the degree of wear some parts may need several coats.   French polish dries very quickly so it doesn't take long to apply several coats if required.  Finally you can apply a wax polish if you wish.

[Grape Ape]

Thanks! (But what do you mean by "french polish"?)

[Theo]

French polish is a traditional finish made from shellac dissolved in alcohol. It comes in various colour grades.  Button polish is a light tan colour that I would use for this application. 

[malcolmbebb]

On the edge of the topic - I have a pressed wood case, in particular an end panel, that has a persistent nicotine smell. I have cleaned it thoroughly, using wax/polish remover and also detergent, and tried Febreze, but there is still a residual smell.
It appears that some liquid may have been spilled on one corner, maybe carrying nicotine into the end grain in the holes. I was wondering about using French Polish to maybe seal the grain and seal in the smell. Daft idea - or worth trying?