New-York tribune., 1909-01-26
TO RESTORE OLD MAHOGANY.
Tedious Work, but Patience Brings satisfae.
tory Results to the Amateur.

Genuine Colonial furniture has become so fash
ionabIe, and consequence so valuable that IL
pays to repair even the most dilapidated pieces"
said a woman who makes business of buying old
furniture for one Of the best known antique deal.
ers in this city 1t Is safer to buy old furniture In
the rough and have the repairing and reinishing
done where you can dictate means and methods
Some OF the finest pieces that have across
in my rambes have been robbed o. their real value
by clumsy repairing poor refinishing The east
est and decidedly the most undesirable way to
freshen I'D old mahogany Is by smearins on a
fresh coat of varnish. Fortunately, the high glaze
of varnish is no longer considered good taste and
we have now come to the point where old
hogany can be seen to real advantage
IF woman wishes to restore an old piece her
self II will not be dIficult task OF course. to
give mahogany good French polish IS tedious and
takes time even in the hands of professional pol
isher. Yet 1t is MT heavy work The first step il
to scrape off every vestise OF old varn1sh and
other finish being careful keep all fat surfaces
as near the plane as possible. Steel scrapers FOR
this purpose are to be had for few cents at any
hardware or paint shop, and the salesman VII
show YOU how to use them Take your time over
this scrapfng and be careful rot 70 get your
srraper too hot It will not burn the wood, but it
is likely to scorch your fingers TO such an extent
that work FOR the next few days will be Impossible
After having scraped down 10 the surface or
the wood and in such manner tnat no Tldges
or houows are left, go over the whole WIN nne
sandpaper finishing with a piece that mas al
ready been considerably worn by previous use.
rbia treatment should give tou absolutely
smooth surface which next must be wiped free
of dust The best article for this Is a piece Of
old cotton muslin or threadbare flannel Next
comes the tedious process OF pohshing- lac
necessary materials are a cloth tied over snaii
snonpe or bunch OF rags wood alcohol, sweet
ou sbeT1ac strong arms ar 4 soodly supply OF
natience The bunch OF rugs Is first wet with
rba oil which rubbed over the surface ana
we'll into the grain OF the wood Next wet lhls
same bunch OF rags with shellac made very tnln
with alcohol. This must be rubbed on IN ei's.es' @
gradually working over the entire surface You
rs+ he careful never TO stop IN this process Win
the cloth resting on the wood. as 1T will leave
spot that is not easy to eface- This application
will take considerable rubbing. so no one need
be afraid Of OVERRIDING H.
after YOU have rubbed, and rubbed more OIL
more she1lac and more alcohol. and begin to feel
thst Won have reached the limit OF your endur-
snce II ia just then you will notice that a mys-
terious little cloud is pursuing your cloth 4. i
now time for you TO rejoice, Tor tnat cioud SHoS
that the polish is beginning 10 take II IS also
,t,,,s 20 leave off work. for you will have used up
enough strength for one day smut up 'ne luf"i-
ture in a room free from dust
The next DAY YOU will discover that most OF
the polish has disappeared Begin just as you
did the day before, use oil. sheilac more Oh anu
mora sbelIac little at time. and alternating IL
rh,,. dar after dav YOU rub until the polish De-
comes bright and permanent But as your NorS
advances use less and less shellac and more ana
more alcohol and rub more and more careruhy
and evenly not stopping an instant unul your
rag is drv I have done much of this Work my
self and know whereof L speak While II taxes
tim. and patience il gets results in polish that
will shine for years with little care
There will he parts in furniture that II VIII oe
next TO impossible to polish. as for instance the
carved legs of small tables For these careiuhs
afTa ar7ffr1 an
dustinr them apply two coats Of shellac- VI
course each coat Of shellac mr7t be slloWed 10
dry thoroughly before applying the next
For old walnut furniture have found that a
dull oil or wax finish Is best 10 bring out tne
Grain Of the wood. For old piece Of soft WOOD
a coat of dark enamel paint is about ali that one
can do. Dark brown or black is the best Nnl's
is seldom advisable and gilt is atrociOus.