Clear-painted Handle

[ganjawulung]

Dear All,

Would you be so kind to help me, please? I have “problem” with restoring this (Sumbawa?) hilt that I bought from an antique-shop in Jakarta recently. Unfortunately, it’s just so heavily coated, with kind of clear-paint spray (we used to call it, “phylox” clear paint).

Is it possible to remove the clear-coating with kind of chemical liquid, without “hurting” the carved-wood of the handle? What kind of liquid, please?

Thanks a lot, in advance, for your kind assistance…

GANJAWULUNG

[Marcokeris]

Hi Ganja
You can use .... in italian language the name is ACETONE... is the liquid that ladies use to take off colour from fingernails.
After you can use light brown shoes past for to give colour again and to rub kindly with a soft cloth.
Why do you thinK the hilt is from Sumbawa?
I hope to see you soon.

[Rick]

Acetone would probably work ok ; remember if you're going to use a small scrub brush to clean in the carved areas be sure that the bristles are natural rather than plastic lest they melt in the solvent .

MEK ( Methyl Ethyl Ketone ) would probably work well too .

Both of these will most likely make the wood look dried out after use .

[Henk]

Originally Posted by Rick

Acetone would probably work ok ; remember if you're going to use a small scrub brush to clean in the carved areas be sure that the bristles are natural rather than plastic lest they melt in the solvent .

MEK ( Methyl Ethyl Ketone ) would probably work well too .

Both of these will most likely make the wood look dried out after use .

Shoe polish is maybe not the best option. Bee wax or furniture oil is better, I think.

[A. G. Maisey]

I've used acetone on this stuff successfully, but the problem with this type of deeply and intricately carved hilt is that there are always deposits of the horrible stuff left in the bottom of the carved depressions. The only effective way I've found of removing these is to use a little sharp bambu stick and a jeweller's loupe, and pick the muck out of each hole.A steel needle will work too, but it requires a lot of care to ensure you don't damage the wood. Slow, but if its worth doing, its worth the time to do it. A few good rubs with baby oil will bring the wood surface back to condition. Linseed oil is better than baby oil for this, but it smells too strong and takes too long to dry. There are some OK proprietary furniture oils that could be used too, but I doubt that you could buy these in Indonesia. Oiled furniture just doesn't work where you are. Don't use these oils in the wet season, you'll have mildew everywhere before you know it.By "good rubs", I mean a few drops of oil on your hand and rub in well to the point where your hand is hot, maybe ten minutes at a time, repeated daily over three or four days. You could then buff with a shoe brush to give a bit of a shine.

[ganjawulung]

Originally Posted by Marcokeris

Hi Ganja
You can use .... in italian language the name is ACETONE... is the liquid that ladies use to take off colour from fingernails.
After you can use light brown shoes past for to give colour again and to rub kindly with a soft cloth.
Why do you thinK the hilt is from Sumbawa?
I hope to see you soon.

Thank You Gentlemen,

I will try to use liquids which Marco and Rick have suggested.

I am not sure, whether this is a Sumbawa keris hilt, or Bugis hilt. Anyone's opinion, please? Recently I've found keris handles, even keris sheaths which are painted with such clear-paint in Jakarta. And everytime I ask to myself: Why didn't they use "natural polish" such "politur" (dilluted with alcohol only)? Politur (local polish) is easier to remove than clear paint such this...

(Are you going to Jogjakarta again soon, Marco?)

Originally Posted by Rick

Acetone would probably work ok ; remember if you're going to use a small scrub brush to clean in the carved areas be sure that the bristles are natural rather than plastic lest they melt in the solvent.

Yes, I think I must use "horse-tail" bristles, rather than plastic, Rick. It is cheaper and easier to get it...

Originally Posted by Henk

Shoe polish is maybe not the best option. Bee wax or furniture oil is better, I think.

I am not sure I can get bee wax in Jakarta. But I try to find it in Carefour, maybe? Furniture oil is easier to get, Henk...

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

I've used acetone on this stuff successfully, but the problem with this type of deeply and intricately carved hilt is that there are always deposits of the horrible stuff left in the bottom of the carved depressions. The only effective way I've found of removing these is to use a little sharp bambu stick and a jeweller's loupe, and pick the muck out of each hole.A steel needle will work too, but it requires a lot of care to ensure you don't damage the wood. Slow, but if its worth doing, its worth the time to do it. A few good rubs with baby oil will bring the wood surface back to condition. Linseed oil is better than baby oil for this, but it smells too strong and takes too long to dry. There are some OK proprietary furniture oils that could be used too, but I doubt that you could buy these in Indonesia. Oiled furniture just doesn't work where you are. Don't use these oils in the wet season, you'll have mildew everywhere before you know it.By "good rubs", I mean a few drops of oil on your hand and rub in well to the point where your hand is hot, maybe ten minutes at a time, repeated daily over three or four days. You could then buff with a shoe brush to give a bit of a shine.

Yes Alan, maybe I'll work harder than the carver himself! Thanks a lot for your valuable tips..

Ganjawulung

[ganjawulung]

It seems, the clear-coating spray is quite hard to remove. Maybe I must be more patient, to scrub it with Acetone solvent -- as Marco suggested. Later, I'll try with Methyl Ethyl Ketone too, as Rick suggested... Thanks for the advise..

Ganjawulung

[A. G. Maisey]

You could try this Pak Ganja:- pour some acetone into a container and put a long strip of cloth, sufficient to wind around and totally cover the handle, into the acetone---it only needs to be about 3cm wide. The cloth will soak up the acetone. Wind the cloth around the handle and try to keep it damp. After it has been in place for a while the finish will soften, then you can begin to brush, scrub, pick off the horrible plastic covering.

[Boedhi Adhitya]

Mas Ganja, are you sure it is a clear Pylox paint ? If anything fail, I suggest you could try Auto-paint thinner, usually under the brand 'Thinner ND', red can with yellow letter marking. Very volatile, highly flammable liquid. Use only in an adequate air circulation room/area.

Brush your handle with it generously, you might even submerged the handle awhile in the thinner. Be careful, though, as it may also dilute any patch made of lacquer, and prolong submersion might cause crack. The thinner seems to dilute the natural wood's oil and any artificial colour which was applied to the handle. Further rubbing and oiling would be needed to bring the handle 'live'

It works for me, though.


Good luck !

[A. G. Maisey]

If that doesn't shift the stuff nothing will.

[Marcokeris]

Hi Ganja
I have used Acetone only one time for a handle and the result was good. It was a classic Solo hit badly and heavy painted of dark brown.
I put the whole hit for a day in a glass fullof acetone (completely dipped in the liquid). After by a toothbrush I removed the paint in the pits.
Then by car-body past i smoothed the wood (a little past remained in the pits) and at last I used light brown shoes past and a little olive oil some time after.
See the picture

[A. G. Maisey]

Nice job Marco.