Silky Oak (solid) rescue wardrobe with brass coated tin handles

[Blackout]

Hi, The photo's show the wardrobe as I bought it and after cleaning, staining and putting on several layers of Wipe On Poly with sanding between. I still have to replace trim and build a replacement top. The draw handles are a brass colour underneath and I'm looking for advice on how to clean them and get them back to the brass colour. Cheers,
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[graham.murfett]

You could try citric acid, then polish.
Depends if they're coated or tarnished.

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Coated

[graham.murfett]

Paint stripper bath.
Then citric acid.
Then polish.

[Blackout]

Polish to tin?
I was thinking after cleaning of copper plating

[Xanthorrhoeas]

It's good to see a lovely solid timber wardrobe saved. A couple of comments from an old restorer.

It would originally have been finished with shellac and the easiest way to fix an old, degraded shellac finish is to wash off the dirt and grime with warm soapy water, dry well and just paint or rub new shellac over the surface. This keeps the patina of age rather than trying to make an antique look like new. It also helps to retain the integrity of the piece if you use the same materials as originally used.

For the metalwork likewise - I would recommend cleaning gently then giving a good wax coating with a high-quality, high Carnauba wax content wax. That gives them a soft gleam but makes clear that they are original.

Have you obtained Northern Silky Oak boards for the replacement top? I may have some material that could be of some use.

David

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Hi David,
I have a single and double set of bed heads downstairs for this but need to put them beside each other to see if the grain suits. I used to have a lot of good long thick planks that I let go off and regretted ever since.
Sadly when I got it it had been stripped and had stain that readily came off. I decided to clean it back and to match another unit we have stained and then layers of poly.

I do have some others that are shellac and will be cleaned, new shellac and some of the good bees wax to finish it.

I am lacking a few lock covers. Any recommendation where to find old ones as replacement?

Anything that has the original shellac will go back that way but anything people have messed up will be properly sanded (where possible and have stain and poly used. I've decided this is my compromise.

Cheers,
Nick

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Hi Nick,

Personally, I do not like beeswax because it stays sticky and attracts dirt - the best waxes are those that only have a little bees wax to act as a carrier for the harder waxes.

I'm not sure what you mean by "lock covers"? Do you mean the escutcheon covers that were sometimes used?

When I lived in Hobart I used to go to Gowans weekly chattel auctions and buy inexpensive "job lots" that often included old tools, bits of pieces of furniture and sometimes a real gem, but I don't know any equivalent auctions here. However, depending where you live in Brisbane you may find that an older, established secondhand furniture/antiques shop has a hoard they will be prepared to sell you bits and pieces from. I have bought some old fittings from Sherwood Bazaar but I'm not sure if they usually do that (I have known them a long time). There are also some excellent reproductions that can be "aged" to be almost indistinguishable from original fittings if you are lucky enough to find a close match. https://www.goodsandchattels.com/ has a wide range

David

[Blackout]

Hi David,
Yes, you are correct on the escutcheon covers. Thank you for the great website. I will start looking as you said for these places that may have the pieces. I think I will also look to build up stock as well. I will now look at broken furniture as materials more than ever before. I am finding our local recycle centre becoming too expensive.

Cheers,
Nick