Can this Disston handle finish be saved?

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

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I believe the finish is shellac. I have read about using alcohol and fine steel wool to "restore" an old shellac finish. So I tried rubbing a little bit of alcohol into one small spot with a soft cloth but it looked like I was just wiping a thin layer of shellac off and not spreading it around at all or "reamalgamating" it. Since there are parts of the handle where the finish is basically gone should I try to touch it up with more shellac? I'd like to avoid completely stripping and refinishing.

Thanks!

[Rick Whitehead]

Unless it's uncomfortable in your hand, I'd use it as-is.
Rick

[Phil Mueller]

Unless you have already, I would probably give it a light cleaning with murphys oil soap or even mild dishwashing soap just to remove any surface dirt/grime. Then lightly sand to remove any raised grain, and then a coat or two of shellac. If indeed the current finish is shellac, the new coats should "melt" into the existing and cover the bare spots.

Alternatively, instead of alcohol, you could try finger nail polish remover...just blot (not rub), an area to see if it picks up some of the finish and then blot it on a location without finish.

[Charles Bjorgen]

Based on info I picked up from a video on "Old Sneelock's Workshop" I bought a can of a product call Restor-A-Finish that he used to refinish a saw handle. I've not used it yet but plan to do so on a plane handle that needs some restoration. As I understand, this product is applied with something like steel wool. It essentially lifts the existing finish and then allows it to be redistributed on the piece without actually removing it. I found this product at a local Menards store and it comes in several colors. A final coat of wax is recommended.

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

Alternatively, instead of alcohol, you could try finger nail polish remover...just blot (not rub), an area to see if it picks up some of the finish and then blot it on a location without finish.

That was my hope with the alcohol. I used rubbing alcohol so I don't think it gets much stronger than that. It definitely picked up a little bit of the old finish, it just doesn't pick up enough for me to blot it onto another spot.

I'm thinking that more shellac is probably needed since the old finish it worn off in a number of places, but the old finish is pretty dirty even after a good cleaning with oil soap. What would be the next step up in terms of cleaning agents? Should I try to remove a thin layer of the old finish using alcohol?

[Pat Barry]

I would try a bit of lacquer thinner in a relatively inconspicuous location.

[lowell holmes]

I would steel wool it and hit it with a coat of Johnson floor wax. Buff it afterward.

You can always sand it and lacquer it, but that is not reversible.

Actually, I would make a new curly maple handle and save the old one.

I made a handle for a D7 that I have and it was a successful effort.

[Phil Mueller]

Pat's suggestion is my typical method...I just soak the whole handle in lacquer thinner with a light toothbrush scrubbing to get off whatever finish is there, plus paint, etc. Even at that, the years of sweat, grease, oil, or whatever happened to stain the wood dark, just isn't going to go away completely. Part of the character of an old saw.

In other words, no matter what cleaning agent you use (short of bleaching the wood), some of those dark patches just aren't going to go away. As you suggest, a coat of two of shellac to see what it looks like would be my thought. It's certainly low risk as it would be easy to remove.

By the way, I have found the worst result from trying to sand it to an even finish...just can't go deep enough in some areas and it comes out looking like, well, a splotchy sanding job:

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[Mike Allen1010]

I like to soak in oil/varnish mix (Watco), which helps hydrate dried out wood, followed by shelac and wax.

[brian zawatsky]

Shellac is a universal sealer. You can put pretty much any finish over top of it and not have bonding issues. I like to keep as much of the 100 year old character as possible when I restore hand saws. I use 0000 steel wool and mineral spirits to remove the dirt & grime. I never ever sand old saw totes - it removes all the old character & patina. If I wanted a saw to look new I'd buy a new saw, right? Usually a wipe on poly or Formby's tung oil (which is basically a wiping varnish) is my finish of choice. Much more durable and harder than shellac.

[Pete Taran]

All the saws I sell go through this process Brian outlines,, only I use Kramer's Antique Restorer. It doesn't do anything to the original finish, but does fill in the scratches. I'm not aware of Disston ever using shellac on their handles btw. It's some sort of varnish.

[Stew Denton]

Matthew,

I have done a few saw handles, but nothing like the number Pete has done.

The approach you take will be dictated by the final result you want. If you want to get rid of the blackish color which partly results from grime and dirt over the years you will have to go after the old finish aggressively, if you want only to keep what of the old petina of the surface you can a less aggressive approach is called for. If you want to make the handle look as much like a new nicely finished handle as possible, and remember it is tough on one this old, a more aggressive approach still is needed. I usually like the middle ground approach, get all the dirt and grime gone leaving a much lighter surface color, but saving as much of the old petina as is possible. This usually results in a light amber color with the old Disston handles.

That said, if the old handle is finished with shellac, an alcohol is the right solvent. However, rubbing alcohol is not the right way to go. Rubbing alcohol is 30% water, typically, which decreases the effectiveness of the solvent greatly. You need to use denatured alcohol, which has very little water content. If the finish is indeed shellac, it with be cut much better by the denatured alcohol. Further, you don't want water on the handle, as the wood will soak some of it up and swell a bit and also you can get some small fibers pulling loose on the surface of the wood.

I could go into the chemistry of the denatured vs rubbing alcohol, but little would be gained from a practical stand point, but the biggest single problem with the rubbing alcohol is the water content.

If the finish is old lacquer, then lacquer thinner will cut it well.

Either way I sometimes also go with steel wool that is soaking wet with the solvent of choice. I want to get rid of the old grime and dirt, and to do that I have had the best luck by getting rid of the old finish by wiping the old stuff off after the solvent steel wool treatment, I have also used scrubbing with an old natural fiber brush with solvent which sometimes also seems to get the old stuff off without too much disruption. The brush approach also seems to clean out the bottoms of the carvings, if present, better than the fine steel wool and solvent do.

Some brands of old saws seem to have some sort of varnish on the handle, and on those I have used a varnish remover, using the same approach as above, although in some cases I put the remover on and then soaked it some.

Your handle looks pretty much good, I have done some that looked very rough when I started on them, and had clearly been badly dinged and abraded over the years due to rough use, on those I have had to sand the rough spots lightly to get those spot half way smooth again.

What ever approach you use to prepare the handle, you can then use what ever finish you like to refinish the handle. I use either primarily spray lacquer if in a hurry because it is relatively easy and quick. However, if time is not a factor, I like to use polyurethane. I have a saw that I redid back in 1971 or so, using polyurethane, have used that saw a ton, and the finish is still excellent. Which ever way you go, a good paste wax job after the finish has dried extremely well also helps. After some discussion on a similar topic on this site, I have switched the type of wax I now use, and use Johnson's Paste Wax.

I would certainly also trust what Pete has written, he is pro, and had done probably more saw handles than most of the rest of us put together, so he knows what he is talking about, not to say the rest don't also have a lot of experience because many do and you can trust what they say, but Pete has done a lot. I just have no experience with the products he lists.

What ever you do, solvent wise, get and use some solvent resistant gloves. Virtually all of the solvents are somewhat toxic, and to one extent or another can be absorbed through the skin.

Hope the restoration goes well.

Stew

[Pete Taran]

It's not that hard. Take some 0000 steel wool and make the one end wet with mineral spirits. Then, take the steel wool and using your forefinger wipe back and forth and that grime and crud will come right off. Try to be even in your approach so you don't have one spot where the finish is almost all worn off and another that isn't. If there are paint flecks, take an exacto knife and carefully pick at them of scrape them off, then scrub with the steel wool and mineral spirits.

If I had that saw handle, it would be clean and ready to coat in 5 minutes. It's not in that bad a shape. For the nuts, they are often crusted in gunk where they meet the handle. Soak them in some mineral spirits, and use a tooth brush to remove the grunge. If it's really caked on, get a bronze bristle brush which you can get at harbor freight or lowes where they sell the welding stuff. They come in a 3 pack. I like to clean nuts just enough to get the grime off. Don't go overboard and buff them, that's just silly. It took 100 years to put that patina on, don't remove it unless you want your saw to look like a botoxed face with a crazy chicken neck...the two don't go together!

[Bill Baethke]

I am am fairly new here, but I will throw in my two cents. I think your handle is in pretty nice shape, and I agree with the posters that recommend a thorough cleaning in an attempt to preserve as much original mojo as possible. I have scraped and sanded the old finish off a few, with good results, but in the end- I was disappointed with the pristine look, although it feels great and functions well. Recently, I used the Kramer's antique restorer and 0000 steel wool method, followed by a light coat of thin (probably less than 1 pound cut) of amber shellac. I was happier with the latter method. Less work, more character, equal functionality.362371362372362373 The backsaw handle is an example of a total removal of the old finish via scraping, chem stripper, and sanding. I think I used a bit of dye and BLO to finish. Feels great, but I feel that it lost too much character. The other photos are a before and after using the Kramer's with 0000 steel wool, a light coat of shellac and paste wax. The draw knife handles got that same treatment. I hope this helps.

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks Pete. Will definitely give this a go on the next handle restoration.

[Jerry Olexa]

Agree use denatured alcohol not rubbing alcohol...I would also reco using a padding technique with DA and some shellac on the pad...Try to blend the finishes together which is easy with shellac and DA..Just my thought...Wax at end when results are good.

[brian zawatsky]

Nice work on that No 12. That's what a restored century old saw ought to look like.

[Jim Davis]

I'm a renegade when it comes to refinishing any old tool. If I can make it look like new, I will. Forget patina. That's just a chic word for corrosion and grime. I like my old tools to look the way they did when the original owner first started using them. It's rare that I can actually get them looking like new, but I try. I can't imagine some carpenter 100 years ago saying, "I don't want one of those new saws. They look like they've never been used!

I sand saw handles as needed and brush on a coat of lacquer. I steel wool that coat, give it a second coat, steel wool that, then buff.

BTW, they restore Rembrants, you know.

[lowell holmes]

I for one cannot tolerate grungy tools. I make mine shine if I can. For one thing, it is a precursor to sharp. I don't expect an old saw to be bright, but is will not have rust and dirt, and it will have a sheen.

[Pete Taran]

Jim,

In the restoration of Rembrants, they carefully remove dirt and soot, and then painstakingly fill in areas of paint that match the picture that are missing. This approach is exactly how I do it. You are advocating belt sanding off the old paint, spraying with Krylon and then adding your own design that might or might not mimick that of the original. Big difference!

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

I'm not aware of Disston ever using shellac on their handles btw. It's some sort of varnish.

Aha, news to me. I don't have any lacquer thinner on hand but I'll have to get some and see what it does. I suppose it's possible that the rubbing alcohol wasn't making the finish sticky but instead just loosening dirt and grime, and that was the stickiness I was feeling.

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

It's not that hard. Take some 0000 steel wool and make the one end wet with mineral spirits. Then, take the steel wool and using your forefinger wipe back and forth and that grime and crud will come right off. Try to be even in your approach so you don't have one spot where the finish is almost all worn off and another that isn't. If there are paint flecks, take an exacto knife and carefully pick at them of scrape them off, then scrub with the steel wool and mineral spirits.

If I had that saw handle, it would be clean and ready to coat in 5 minutes. It's not in that bad a shape. For the nuts, they are often crusted in gunk where they meet the handle. Soak them in some mineral spirits, and use a tooth brush to remove the grunge. If it's really caked on, get a bronze bristle brush which you can get at harbor freight or lowes where they sell the welding stuff. They come in a 3 pack. I like to clean nuts just enough to get the grime off. Don't go overboard and buff them, that's just silly. It took 100 years to put that patina on, don't remove it unless you want your saw to look like a botoxed face with a crazy chicken neck...the two don't go together!

I haven't touched it with steel wool yet but that is the next step up in aggressiveness so I'm gonna give that a shot. Thanks for the all the info!

[lowell holmes]

I would steel wool it and then a coat of Johnson's floor wax. I find that gives a smooth clean finish.

Also, it is reversible if you change your mind.

I use Johnson's wax on about everything, including saw plates, table saw tops, and chisel blades.

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

I would steel wool it and then a coat of Johnson's floor wax. I find that gives a smooth clean finish.

Also, it is reversible if you change your mind.

I use Johnson's wax on about everything, including saw plates, table saw tops, and chisel blades.

Reversibility always seems to be a good idea on my restofabricajuvenation projects. As it appears to me, if the original finish is indeed lacquer then it's either a coat of wax or strip and refinish. In that case I'll go with the former for now. If the handle is uncomfortable I can always refinish it later.

[Pete Taran]

Matthew,

The only way there is lacquer on that handle is if Dr Who bought it in 1900 when it was made, stripped it, moved forward in time to 1920 when lacquer was invented, and had it sprayed. Your handle is coated with varnish. Not shellac, not lacquer, but varnish. Think about it, why would Disston use such a fragile finish as lacquer or shellac on something that had to stand up to the elements and your sweaty hand? Believe what you want, but when you have exhausted all other possibilities, you will come back to varnish. :)

[Daryl Weir]

Not trying to start an argument but inform people that I believe Disston did use shellac on their handles up until the new "weatherproof" finish starting in about the late 20's going to lacquer at that point. I'm not sure why it was called weatherproof, as lacquer is anything but that. As many handles as Disston finished in a day, why wouldn't you use something that dried quickly. Shellac is durable enough they use to use it on floors and it was easy to touch up. Early on, Disston and many of the other manufacturers only used a film finish on the edges, the faces were left bare. The term in the catalogs "polished edges" meant just that.

The pictures I've attached are from 2 D8's, one is a panel saw from the mid 20's and the other from the 1910 era. Both finishes in a small area on the top side of the top horn was softened and brought back to a shine by denatured alcohol, something that couldn't be done if it was a true varnish. The one picture of the top of the horn shows my fingerprint for verification.

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Wearing gloves, a small area of a rag can be soaked in lacquer thinner, and the finish cleaned and spread around a little. It will never be perfect, it's old, so it's something I can live with. Some people frown upon it but I will use a light coat of boiled linseed oil on top of the old finish, let it dry well (a few days) then use Johnsons paste wax and buff it out.

Take care,
Daryl

[Jim Davis]

Thanks Pete! I had no idea I was advocating such things as belt sanding and adding designs. Can't imagine why I didn't know that! I really shouldn't advocate such things since I don't do them. And, looking back at my post, I see that I did not say I do even one of the things you suggest...Oh, well, my wife actually gets paid for writing fiction!

[Pete Taran]

Are you familiar with the concept of using the absurd to illustrate a point? If I come across as inflexible on the topic of restoration, it's because I come at it from an old tools perspective of saving the history of the tool. To illustrate that point, some youngster was at the MWTCA meet last week with a handful of saws he applied the full restoration treatment to. Buffed nuts, sanded handle, belt sanded blade. Those 6 saws gleamed like a new Buick.

He was shocked and dismayed to find out that NO ONE wanted them at the exorbitant prices he was asking, or at any price. They went unsold and he learned a hard lesson. If someone wants to do that to a saw that they own because it pleases them, then have at it. But please don't advocate that with no caveats so people everywhere think that's the norm and should be undertaken without consideration of what they are doing to the history and value of the tool. Next thing you know you will have people stripping and sanding and buffing early, one of a kind saws because they read about it on SMC. Jim, you place no caveats on your post. Read it again and ask yourself if you would do that to any and every saw you find? A lot of history would be destroyed if that were the case.

[Pat Barry]

He was just selling them at the wrong place. Kind of like cars that have been hot rodded being shunned by car collectors who see every change from original as a sin. You know, the folks that absolutely need matching numbers on every part. Where do they find the shiny new replacement fenders anyway?

[Pete Taran]

Daryl,

I think maybe we are talking past each other. I said that the finish on the handle was not shellac. BUT, I never said that it wasn't alcohol soluble. Shellac is the excrement of the LAC beetle mixed in alcohol, usually methanol. A Spirit Varnish, on the other hand, which I'm 100% certain Disston used on their early pre-1928 saws, also uses alcohol as the main solvent, but IS NOT Shellac.

Check out: http://www.williamsburgartconservation.com/historic-varnishes-and-resi.html

If you take a look, you will see all the things that have been used in both spirit and resin varnishes. I don't know what special blend of Herbs and Spices Disston, used, but it was not Shellac.

Why do I say this? Well, for one, Disston wrote quite a bit about what they did. See the image below from the 1907 edition of the Lumberman's Handbook. It contained a section in the back which talked about "How We Make Handles". You will notice they talk about applying "Varnish" not Shellac. I'm pretty sure if Shellac is what was used, it would have said "Shellac"

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Second, what are the characteristics of a Shellac finish? One, when exposed to water for any length of time, you get a white spot. See the picture below which is a 1900 Era Disston #4 saw handle. You will notice there is no white spot under that drop of water. I wiped it with lacquer thinner before putting the water on to make sure there was no wax present. It has been on there for over an hour. I will leave it there all day, or until the water dries and see if that tell tale white ring appears.

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Third, has anyone ever seen a saw handle with a cracked and alligatored finish which is almost always present on an old, unmaintained shellac finish? In 26 years of collecting saws, I never have seen one. Not once.

I have tried to discover the blend of what Disston used on their handles. I've even taken examples to the Cleveland Museum of Art where they use and recreate old finishes in their restorations. They don't know what is in it, but do offer it is some proprietary Spirit Varnish. We will never know, as it wasn't written down, but we do know what it isn't, and that is shellac.

BTW, I think this kind of discourse is fun, not a battle. That's what the net is all about, sharing information. Anyone who has a fact based alternate theory, please share it. :D

[Jim Davis]

Pete, I clearly said that I was presenting MY view. That requires no caveat. Either the reader shares the view or has a different one. I said nothing at all a bout whether anyone else should do what I do. BTW, if you followed the saw market on eBay, you would find in short order that the saw that have been cleaned up to approach new condition bring three to four times as much money as the as-found saws. BTW again, my saws are not for sale.

[Pete Taran]

Jim,

I certainly agree that saws that have been cleaned are worth more than those which aren't. The degree of cleaning is my point. It's still a free country, if you choose to have a different buffing wheel in every corner of your shop, that's your prerogative. I merely suggest that a more cautious approach achieves the same result, making the tool usable, without destroying it's historical value. If nothing else, next month or next year when someone stumbles across this thread, they can read both points of view and make an informed choice on the best approach for them.

[Mike Allen1010]

Daryl,

BTW, I think this kind of discourse is fun, not a battle. That's what the net is all about, sharing information. Anyone who has a fact based alternate theory, please share it. :D



Interesting thread on a topic relevant to the Neander Cave.


My only contribution is to offer the historical perspective of a 20 year hand tool woodworker with a "bad handsaw problem". IMHO, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone literally in the world, who has more practical hands-on experience and knowledge about vintage hand saws than Pete Taran and Daryl Weir.


There are plenty of people on the Internet who are happy to share their "expert" opinions even though their personal experience/expertise/knowledge may be somewhat less than exhaustive. I don't know much, but one thing I do know a little about is vintage hand saws. FWIW, Daryl and Pete are among the the top 5 experts in vintage handsaw restoration, sharpening, tuning etc. (frankly I'm not sure who the other 3 are).


I've never met Daryl or Pete, but have purchased saws from both and readily admit to being a big fan. Their websites vintage saws.com and old saws restored.com, are IMHO are some of the best information about vintage handsaw brands/models, restoration, sharpening and precision tuning.


No disrespect anyone, my only intent is to point out how lucky we are here on SMC to be able to hear first-hand from people who really know what they're talking about.


All the best, Mike

[Joe Bailey]

... my only intent is to point out how lucky we are here on SMC to be able to hear first-hand from people who really know what they're talking about.




I'll drink to that!

[Daryl Weir]

Pete,

If you read back, I only said that I "believed" that it was shellac not that it was a fact. I'm always careful about that as it will usually come back and bite you in the hind end! How are you certain that it isn't shellac? If the museum can't tell you anything besides it's a proprietary Spirit Varnish, how did they rule out shellac when they cant' tell what it is? Lot's of questions here but that only means I'm a curious and an interested person. Williamsburg, which is a good read, even has shellac mentioned in the Spirit Varnish area. I was familiar with the term Spirit Varnish because of an old reprint of a woodworking book that I purchased back in the 90's.

Here's another interesting link: http://chestofbooks.com/crafts/scientific-american/Recipes/Solubility-Of-Resins.html (http://chestofbooks.com/crafts/scientific-american/Recipes/Solubility-Of-Resins.html)

Taken from the text:

"Alcohol does not dissolve amber or dammar; it agglutinates copal, and partly dissolves elemi and carnauba wax; while colophony, shellac, sandarac, and mastic are readily soluble therein.

Oil of turpentine has no action upon amber or shellac; it causes copal to swell, and readily dissolves dammar, colophony, elemi, sandarac, carnauba, and very readily mastic."

I ended up trying some turpentine on the same handles I tried the denatured alcohol on. It didn't even bite into or dissolve the finish one bit.

I don't know if that means we can get down to it being shellac, since alcohol has no action on amber (it did on my handle finish in this case) and turpentine won't act upon shellac.

Maybe there are way more resins than the ones listed which could throw this all out the window. I haven't had enough time to look with the full time job, mowing, trimming bushes, packaging up saws, etc. ! :D

I have that same Disston 1907 manual. If they were using Spirit Varnish as you say, why couldn't they use the term "Varnish" in the text? It seems like the term varnish covered almost all of the finishes back then, according to what I've read so far.

I'm surprised you haven't seen wrinkled finishes on any saw handles as many years as you've been in it. At 17 years myself, maybe I'm a green horn but I've seen a few and on different brands. ;)

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Here's a few more if anyone is interested: http://s279.photobucket.com/user/daryl_weir/slideshow/wrinkled%20finishes?sort=3

Saws included are a Atkins No.53, (2) Wheeler, Madden & Clemson No.999, Another WS WM&C Holden rip saw, Woodrough & McParlin No.55 Bow Belly, Atkins No.400 with silver plated hardware, Disston No.9 & a Bishop Greyhound with Cuban Mahogany handle.

I will admit that I rarely see any Disstons with the finish wrinkled or alligatored. The seemed to put the finish on a little thinner than some of the others as it usually seems that the thicker the finish, the more prone it was to wrinkle or alligator.

Take care,
Daryl

[Pete Taran]

Daryl,

To me, the biggest tell is that when exposed to water, it doesn't turn white. All shellac does this and because saws back then were used outside, it would seem to me foolish to use it on a saw handle. I really only concern myself with Disston saws, so I don't really have an opinion on the other makers you mention.

I agree that varnish could cover a wide range of finishes, but I still believe that if Disston used Shellac, he would call it out. In reviewing the list, it seems Sandarac could very likely be the culprit. It's not soluble in water, is in alcohol and was a pretty common resin. I looked in Ebay just now, and even today it looks like Sandarac is pretty cheap, only $20 for a pound, and that includes shipping all the way from Turkey. I am going to order some and see if the resulting finish is the same as I see on Disston Saw Handles. I will report back once I've got it and tried it out.

Regards,

Pete

PS. Interesting side note which might bolster the use of Sanndarac as the varnish used. Apparently it was used extensively to coat tintype photos to protect them as well as oil paintings. It is still made and sold today for those uses:
https://www.bostick-sullivan.com/cart/1069.html The fact that it was in pretty widespread use at about the same time as the saw production suggests it might be a big component to Disston finishes.

[lowell holmes]

Another take on this.

Old D-8 saws that I have renovated included:

Sanding the rust off of the saw plate

Filing the tooth line smooth

Filing, shaping, and setting new teeth

Repair and refinish tote

Re-assemble saw tote and handle, sharpen the saw, and make saw dust.

Sometimes the tote is re-finished.

It works, just do it.

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

Matthew,

The only way there is lacquer on that handle is if Dr Who bought it in 1900 when it was made, stripped it, moved forward in time to 1920 when lacquer was invented, and had it sprayed. Your handle is coated with varnish. Not shellac, not lacquer, but varnish. Think about it, why would Disston use such a fragile finish as lacquer or shellac on something that had to stand up to the elements and your sweaty hand? Believe what you want, but when you have exhausted all other possibilities, you will come back to varnish. :)

Much of what people did back then is a mystery so I threw nothing out of the realm of possible finishes. It looked like shellac to my untrained eye but I did read through the literature you shared (which was quite helpful, by the way). I've never messed with lacquer-never much cared for it-but I do like the way shellac looks. Never used it on a tool, though, due to its inability to stand up to the wear and tear. This all works out nicely because I happen to like wiping varnishes a lot. I finished my first D8 handle with Waterlox and I like the way it looks and feels quite a bit. Maybe I'll do the same here.

But either way, if it is some sort of varnish that I can't recreate, should I ever even attempt to reamalgamate and save the finish on a Disston saw handle? Or are the options really just:
1) steel wool + solvent, then wax it
2) strip the old finish and apply a new one?

Thanks,
Matt

[Pete Taran]

Matthew,

I ordered Sandarac so when it gets here I will dissolve it in some alcohol and try it out. If it works, it would be a similar deal as applying shellac. Get some wet on a rag and add it to your handle and rub it around. It will redissolve what's there and add to it. It's coming all the way from Turkey, so it may take a few weeks to get here.

Will open a new thread when I have some answers.

Pete

[Todd Stock]

Seems like lots of old texts and written accounts treat shellac and varnish more or less interchangeably - particularly spirit varnish, which is usually a shellac and resin(s) mixture (Behlen's Violin Varnish is shellac, gum sandarac and gum mastic). I have to wonder if Disston was using a spirit varnish with some additives to enhance resistance to liquid water - would still provide quicker drying times than oil varnish and no sanding needed between coats.

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

Matthew,

I ordered Sandarac so when it gets here I will dissolve it in some alcohol and try it out. If it works, it would be a similar deal as applying shellac. Get some wet on a rag and add it to your handle and rub it around. It will redissolve what's there and add to it. It's coming all the way from Turkey, so it may take a few weeks to get here.

Will open a new thread when I have some answers.

Pete

Awesome! I look forward to hearing about your experiments with it.

[Matthew Hutchinson477]

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Since I couldn't decide how I wanted to tackle this project I just cleaned the handle as best as I could and waxed it. I imagine that'll offer enough protection from the elements. It's not like I'm gonna have this thing outside in the rain. Brass got cleaned and waxed as well. Plate and spine got dipped in oxalic acid to remove rust and then sanded. There was a lot more pitting than I anticipated after the acid bath so I had to start sanding with 100 and only went up to 320. My experience has been that heavily pitted saws like this don't benefit much from sanding above 220-320 or so. I'm pretty satisfied with how it looks at this point, and after a good sharpening it'll probably function just fine for me. The plate does have a slight bend in it that I couldn't get out by tapping the spine to re-tension but I don't think it's enough of a bend to be an issue. I can hardly notice it. It is possible that the spine isn't dead straight but if there are any imperfections I can't see them with my eye.

[Stew Denton]

Matthew,

It looks like you ended up with a pretty well restored good user! In reality, the amount of pitting is very minimal, from the side view of the entire saw it looks like only a very small amount on back and tip of the saw. I think you will enjoy the use of that saw, and the restoration you did, for many years to come. Nice job! Congrats!

Stew