September 3, 2009

Antique Furniture Hardware Restoration Currently For Sale On eBay

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Surface Restoration To Antique Metalwork

As antique furniture restorers, we often tend to think of ourselves simply as specialist craftsman in wood and forget that we frequently need to be involved with the surface restoration of the metal items which will invariably form an essential part of the whole piece which has been entrusted to our care.

Restoration to some antique metalwork, often badly damaged and with parts missing or completed corroded by rust, will require specialised metalworking skills beyond the scope of this paper, which is concerned with various aspects of restoration to the surface finish. In the hope that it will be of interest to readers, I should like to share my thoughts and experience of some of the traditional methods of rust removal and simple chemical colour enhancement, to simulate age or blend an area of over abraded or new metal with the existing colour or patination adjacent.

Let us consider the basic requirements for the removal of surface rust, without deep erosion, from antique surfaces. Firstly, it is fundamental that the oxide be removed without affecting any integral brass or bronze work. Secondly, any precipitate formed by the chemical action of the derusting agent must be easily and completely removable without causing abrasion damage to the item. Thirdly, the existing patination, if any, should be affected as little as possible with little discernable colour change taking place. Fourthly, further oxidation should at least be inhibited, positive protection is not a practical possibility if the visual aspect of the item is to be considered. No protective precipitates are either invisible or truly metallic in appearance.

The metalwork to be restored is likely to fall into one of three main categories:

• Various hinges, handles and knobs, escutcheons, lock plates and facings. All to be found incorporating or partly formed in brass or bronze and often engraved or surface etched.
• Engraved and inlaid plates and mechanisms mounted on antique gun and pistol stocks. Also hilts of edged weapons and parts of their scabbards, again often inlaid with brass.
• The many and varied parts of antique clock mechanisms and some early engraved clock dials and other parts.

Commercially available derusting fluids differ in their chemical approach to the problem. There are those containing dilute phosphoric and hydrochloric acids, which dissolve the ferrous oxide chemically, leaving a matt-grey precipitate and those containing styrene-acrylate, co-polymers, which stabilize the oxide forming it into a blue grey precipitate of appreciable thickness.

For the average user wishing to derust general hardware or car parts, the derusting fluids offer an efficient solution to a rust problem. But in my opinion, they are quite useless for treating antique metalwork and can cause irrevocable harm to the surface in many cases. The chemical action produces well bonded precipitates, only removable by quite heavy surface abrasion, an undesirable, lengthy and difficult task should the item be small or of a delicate nature. Yet this will be necessary whenever a metallic finish is required. In the unlikely event of the precipitate removal being successful, the item will then have to be burnished and chemically treated to produce a suitable antique finish. Unfortunately these derusting agents will etch and corrode brass and bronze unless the contact time is brief, thus making their use on multi media items open to serious doubt.

About the Author

Georgetown Refinishing & Antique Restoration

daniel scuderi



Antique Furniture Hardware Restoration Currently For Sale On eBay.

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	Howard RF3016 Restor-A-Finish, 16-Ounces Golden Oak List Price: $10.99 Sale Price: $6.03
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	Formbys 30013 Furniture Refinisher, 32-Ounce List Price: $16.49 Sale Price: $11.00
	Restores original finish without stripping. For use on varnish, shellac, or lacquer finishes only. With the help of steel wool the old finish is melted down completely without taking color from wood or raising veneers...

	Crosley CR49 Traveler Portable Turntable (Tan) List Price: $129.95 Sale Price: $99.97 Used From: $95.00
	Enjoy a whole new level of LP independence with the Crosley CR49 Traveler. Inspired by the original portable turntables of the late 1950s, the belt-drive unit is versatile enough to play all three common speeds--33-1/3, 45, and 78 rpm--so you're not restricted to any one part of your vintage record collection...

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Posted in: Antique Furniture | | Comments (1)
Post tags: furniture, hardware, home, salvage, shopping

1 Comment »

1. 

   hi , this is an excellent site especially for info on stained glass ,i have been in the industry for some years now and now specialise in stained glass panels for bespoke doors ,we make our own kiln fired jewels to go in the panels and also brilliant cut flashed glass motifs.We also hunt around for reclaimed victorian /edwardian doors to refurbish .We have many old locks and handles and knobs which have been salvaged.for old doors and stained glass we are well worth a visit.http://www.thestainedglassdoorscompany.com/

   Comment by tim bell — May 22, 2010 @ 11:35 am

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