Wood Care Demo

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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• wood
• Design2Share
• DIY
• demo
• eBay
• restoration
• furniture
• decorating
• tips
• cleaning

[westend104]

Great! That advice strikes me as a hundred percent sensible. Looking forward to Bob's book, too.... Many thanks.

[byhammerandhand]

Westend, what I do (professionally) is very similar to Jeff's approach, though it can vary based on condition, the piece, and how much the customer wants to put into it. I don't have a problem with using products like this -- I do have a problem with vendors that make outrageous comments like "feeds the wood," and appeals to chemo-phobes by flagging "all natural." Just realize you are spending premium dollars. Bob Flexner's book and articles are very helpful to someone wanting to learn more.

[westend104]

Thanks so much for checking! What would you unconditionally recommend for wood treatment? Average homeowners with eBay and flea market finds will want to use something that isn't necessarily "magic," but something that is effective and hopefully nontoxic and eco-friendly.

[byhammerandhand]

Oh, and Goo-gone is most likely d-Limonene, a by-product of orange juice industry. It works as a solvent very similar to turpentine, mineral spirits or naphtha. I, too, use it to remove stickers. But I find heating them with a hair dryer a much better way, softens the adhesive and comes off clean.

[byhammerandhand]

I got the improver MSDS from Kramer. This product is 38% turpentine and 18% methanol. The rest is unspecified, is suspect by smell and look it has some wax and some vinegar. Turpentine is a paint thinner & wax solvent. Methanol is a solvent for shellac & may dissolve old lacquer (two most common old finishes) The turpentine and vinegar act mostly as cleaners. No magic here.

[westend104]

Excellent, and many thanks! There are few folks who take the effort to dig deeply into the ingredients into many commonly available products, and I appreciate your digging in here. I WAS taken aback to read the label on the Kramer product I have and not find a detailed list of ingredients as in most other goods. I'll check on Mr. Jewitt's site, too, and again many thanks. Bottom line lesson for me: Even scores of antique dealers and their product recommendations should be questionned.

[byhammerandhand]

Finishing is hard enough without having to wade through obfuscation and mis-named products. I've requested an MSDS from Mr. Kramer. I'll know more when I see it. In the meantime, do a search on Jeff Jewitt Saving the Finish (sorry but I can't post a URL)

[westend104]

Thanks so much for this great information. I've never heard criticism of this product from the dealers we've worked with for years, so it's good to share your experiences. Please write back and recommend commercially available or homemade products that you feel good about (now that we know what you don't approve of).

[byhammerandhand]

All natural and old-time methods do not necessarily say much. For years, linseed oil, vinegar, and turpentine was used as a "refresher." The oil becomes chromogenic in presence of the acetic acid.

Pledge(r) contains silicone oil that becomes a severe contaminant if you ever need to repair or refinish this piece.

Kramerize contains "natural" turpentine and methanol. Methanol and turpentine are both poisonous materials. All natural does not mean safe, heroin and cocaine are natural.

[westend104]

Thanks for your comments and for watching. This isn't so much a wonder product as it is an all-natural, handmade batch type of wood restorer. "Very colonial days product" is how antique dealers I've spoken with have described it. Includes turpentine, which is how it strips a lot of grime and residue off the surface. More details on the "kramerize" website in the video description. I was sceptical until I tried the product, and now I've thrown away my steel wool.