Varnished items from older collections.

kronckew · 24th March 2016, 07:38 PM

and now the mandatory OSHA warning:

remember to use volatile solvents outdoors or in very good ventilated rooms. most are poisonous and some are carcinogenic. i don't want to lose any of us. solvent resistant gloves and goggles/face mask are a good idea. nice strong outdoor lighting from that big white ball in the sky will also assist in improving your removals from corners and areas that may hide in artificial lighting.

acetone has a much lower toxicity that benzine which can cause permanent damage if inhaled, ingested or absorbed thru skin contact. both are highly flammable, so no smoking, or sources of ignition nearby. benzine is the major constituent of gasoline/petrol.

sadly, we rarely see that thing in the sky that gives off all the light here in the UK. i think it's astronomical name is Sol, or something similar. (it is raining here as usual) i have a dim memory of something we called the sun, way back when i was a younger in alabama, usa. might be the same thing.

fernando · 24th March 2016, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

... i have a dim memory of something we called the sun, way back when i was a younger in alabama ...

Wait a minute; have you forgotten the Douro and the Portuguese Sol ?

mrcjgscott · 24th March 2016, 08:18 PM

Hello All,

I would also vote for acetone, having used it with success on several occasions.

Sadly the varnish I normally encounter has usually turned a nasty treacle brown colour, from a mixture of dirt, cigarette and other smoke.

My first encounter with it was on a beautiful horn handled lambendh kukri, which had come from a large display of ethnographic weapons from a country house.

If you need to remove varnish from horn, acetone works well, but remember to treat the horn with mineral oil afterwards, as it soon sucks the moisture right out which can shrink the horn and make it brittle.

Good luck!

Chris

kronckew · 24th March 2016, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernando

Wait a minute; have you forgotten the Douro and the Portuguese Sol ?

no, i remember sweating like a flea in granny's fryin' skillet on the costa, not quite so hot in the mountains...even a few shady bits.

the cure of course is vinho verde in copious quantities. coriander (cilantro), garlic and egg soup over bread also helps. oh, and a nice large port after dinner takes away the last pains and mellows out the world.

A. G. Maisey · 25th March 2016, 12:19 AM

Varnish and shellac removal depends on what the lac was mixed with to make the finished product.

In old "classic" finishes methylated spirits will mostly remove the stuff. Metho & 0000 steel wool, then a hand rub with baby oil.

Newer finishes might need acetone, but the old stuff just wipes off with metho.

estcrh · 25th March 2016, 06:15 AM

What would you recommend for this yatagan which is coated with some type of clear lacquer. The hilt seems to be niello.

Ian · 25th March 2016, 06:35 AM

estcrh:

This might be a silicone wax product. "Antiquewax," a polish for antique furniture, has been used by some people to produce a shine on the metal and slow down oxidation, and it works fairly well. There are similar products sold specifically for blades. Some folks have even used silicone car polish but that is too shiny and thick for my liking.

Once on, it is not easy to remove the silicone finish. I have found an industrial solvent, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), is fairly good. I apply it with a rag several times and wipe off the residue. The fumes are quite intoxicating and make one feel dizzy, so be sure that you do any stripping in a well ventilated area and away from heating sources.

I treat all of these solvents as highly toxic and potentially flammable/explosive. Impermeable gloves and eye protection are a must and avoid exposures via breathing or skin contact as much as possible--I do no more than 5-10 minutes stripping at a time and take a complete break for 30 minutes or so without breathing the fumes. Dispose of the cleaning rags carefully (not in the general trash)--I burn mine in a wood stove rather than throw them away.

Good luck!

Ian.

P.S. Use an organic solvent only on metal surfaces. Not on wood or other organic materials. Solvents can seriously damage these materials.

estcrh · 25th March 2016, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

estcrh:

This might be a silicone wax product. "Antiquewax," a polish for antique furniture,........................................ ..................I have found an industrial solvent, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), is fairly good. I apply it with a rag several times and wipe off the residue. The fumes are quite intoxicating and make one feel dizzy, so be sure that you do any stripping in a well ventilated area and away from heating sources.

Thanks Ian, I will try this on a small area first.

24th March 2016, 07:38 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	and now the mandatory OSHA warning: remember to use volatile solvents outdoors or in very good ventilated rooms. most are poisonous and some are carcinogenic. i don't want to lose any of us. solvent resistant gloves and goggles/face mask are a good idea. nice strong outdoor lighting from that big white ball in the sky will also assist in improving your removals from corners and areas that may hide in artificial lighting. acetone has a much lower toxicity that benzine which can cause permanent damage if inhaled, ingested or absorbed thru skin contact. both are highly flammable, so no smoking, or sources of ignition nearby. benzine is the major constituent of gasoline/petrol. sadly, we rarely see that thing in the sky that gives off all the light here in the UK. i think it's astronomical name is Sol, or something similar. (it is raining here as usual) i have a dim memory of something we called the sun, way back when i was a younger in alabama, usa. might be the same thing. Last edited by kronckew; 24th March 2016 at 07:54 PM.

25th March 2016, 06:15 AM	#6
estcrh Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: USA Posts: 1,492	What would you recommend for this yatagan which is coated with some type of clear lacquer. The hilt seems to be niello. Attached Images

24th March 2016, 08:18 PM	#3
mrcjgscott Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 189	Hello All, I would also vote for acetone, having used it with success on several occasions. Sadly the varnish I normally encounter has usually turned a nasty treacle brown colour, from a mixture of dirt, cigarette and other smoke. My first encounter with it was on a beautiful horn handled lambendh kukri, which had come from a large display of ethnographic weapons from a country house. If you need to remove varnish from horn, acetone works well, but remember to treat the horn with mineral oil afterwards, as it soon sucks the moisture right out which can shrink the horn and make it brittle. Good luck! Chris

25th March 2016, 12:19 AM	#5
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,990	Varnish and shellac removal depends on what the lac was mixed with to make the finished product. In old "classic" finishes methylated spirits will mostly remove the stuff. Metho & 0000 steel wool, then a hand rub with baby oil. Newer finishes might need acetone, but the old stuff just wipes off with metho.

25th March 2016, 06:35 AM	#7
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,361	estcrh: This might be a silicone wax product. "Antiquewax," a polish for antique furniture, has been used by some people to produce a shine on the metal and slow down oxidation, and it works fairly well. There are similar products sold specifically for blades. Some folks have even used silicone car polish but that is too shiny and thick for my liking. Once on, it is not easy to remove the silicone finish. I have found an industrial solvent, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), is fairly good. I apply it with a rag several times and wipe off the residue. The fumes are quite intoxicating and make one feel dizzy, so be sure that you do any stripping in a well ventilated area and away from heating sources. I treat all of these solvents as highly toxic and potentially flammable/explosive. Impermeable gloves and eye protection are a must and avoid exposures via breathing or skin contact as much as possible--I do no more than 5-10 minutes stripping at a time and take a complete break for 30 minutes or so without breathing the fumes. Dispose of the cleaning rags carefully (not in the general trash)--I burn mine in a wood stove rather than throw them away. Good luck! Ian. P.S. Use an organic solvent only on metal surfaces. Not on wood or other organic materials. Solvents can seriously damage these materials.