Varnished items from older collections.

Shakethetrees · 26th March 2016, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

Be very careful with the niello - a type of oxidation easy to take off and not to place back on. In fact, I'm not sure if anyone does niello anymore since the chemical fumes are very toxic.

Niello is a horrible mix of lead, and a little copper. When it's thoroughly mixed and still completely molten, a handful of powdered sulfur is mixed in, stirred, and poured into long thin (1/4") strips and allowed to cool.

Once a decorative design is chiseled into a piece of metal, the metal is heated and the niello strip is "mushed" into the design leaving excess. Or, it can be ground into a fine powder and applied like vitreous enamel and then fired. Allow to cool, and file the excess away, using a coarse single cut file. It's like filing graphite, soft, with a tendency to chip if you rush it. Polish any file marks polish with emery.

I did some of this while a student forty years ago, under a laboratory vent hood, and, believe me, it's a smoky, sulphurous, stinking mess. Glad I did it once or twice, but I don't think I ever want to do it again.

There are many formulae recorded, each with slightly different compositions and working attributes coming from early sources from around the world, but, I post this here for reference and not as a recipe, so unless you have laboratory ventilation, don't do it.

If repairs are absolutely necessary I would look into using an epoxy based mixture instead.

Norman McCormick · 29th March 2016, 11:47 PM

Hi,
Many thanks to all for your continued interest. I have taken on board your advice and suggestions and will proceed accordingly. The items in question are Zulu type spears, 1x Iklwa and another as yet undefined, which would appear to have been collected in the latter part of the 19thC or very early 20thC. I will post said items shortly.
Thanks once again to all who participated in the thread and gave of their experience and knowledge.
Regards,
Norman.

Tim Simmons · 30th March 2016, 01:42 PM

These three pieces were covered in thick yellowed old varnish. I took it off with Nitomors varnish remover from B&Q. Then ran the pieces through my hand smothered in olive oil, only the very best cold pressed virgin. If the wood has any patina It is brought back. If the item had no patina at the time of collection and varnishing it will be as it was, old with no patina.

Helleri · 1st April 2016, 03:45 AM

I wonder if you could get it to boil, flake, and become peel-able with something like hot air from a hair dryer.

30th March 2016, 01:42 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,842	These three pieces were covered in thick yellowed old varnish. I took it off with Nitomors varnish remover from B&Q. Then ran the pieces through my hand smothered in olive oil, only the very best cold pressed virgin. If the wood has any patina It is brought back. If the item had no patina at the time of collection and varnishing it will be as it was, old with no patina. Attached Images

29th March 2016, 11:47 PM	#2
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,613	Hi, Many thanks to all for your continued interest. I have taken on board your advice and suggestions and will proceed accordingly. The items in question are Zulu type spears, 1x Iklwa and another as yet undefined, which would appear to have been collected in the latter part of the 19thC or very early 20thC. I will post said items shortly. Thanks once again to all who participated in the thread and gave of their experience and knowledge. Regards, Norman.

1st April 2016, 03:45 AM	#4
Helleri Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Chino, CA. Posts: 219	I wonder if you could get it to boil, flake, and become peel-able with something like hot air from a hair dryer.