Knob and Tote fast refinish

[Rob Luter]

I snagged a Type 19 #5 jack earlier this year to convert to a roughing plane. The knob and tote are Rosewood, but were coated in the thickest layer of varnish I'd ever seen. It was all of 1/16 thick in places and full of ugly scuffs and scratches. I was not looking forward to all the sanding it would take to get this stuff off. I happened on an old can of Homer Formby's refinisher on the shelf that hadn't been touched in 20 years and thought I'd give it a go. I poured a half inch deep puddle in a pint yogurt container and dropped the knob and tote inside. With the lid on I gave it a few shakes to get everything coated and let it sit for 15 minutes. Another shake and waiting period later I opened it up and all the old finish had softened and basically turned to snot. It was easy to wipe it off cleanly down to the wood with a terrycloth rag. Once it dried I hit it with a ScotchBrite pad and then a coat of spray on lacquer. It looks great and I'm looking forward to using the process again.

[Jim Koepke]

Often on mine if the coating is gone my only treatment is with a wax & oil mixture (Howard's) that gives a nice feel and finish to the rosewood.

If the original finish is shellac it will soften or come off with alcohol. If it is lacquer acetone or lacquer thinner should do the job.

Some of the coatings Stanley used after the war hid the beauty of the rosewood.

jtk

[Thomas McCurnin]

Ahhh methylene chloride is good stuff

[Jim Koepke]

Ahhh methylene chloride is good stuff

Isn't that the stuff in strippers that were banned a few years ago?

Years ago it was "as mad as a hatter." Not too long ago in the used furniture trade it was "as mad as a stripper."

jtk

[John Keeton]

Perhaps Tom was being sarcastic. Methylene chloride is really dangerous stuff. Without aggressive ventilation it can cause brain damage or death in fairly short order.

[Rob Luter]

Good thing there's no Methylene Chloride in Formby's

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[Rob Luter]

Isn't that the stuff in strippers that were banned a few years ago?jtk

Yup. Early in my career I worked in a facility that used Methylene Chloride in a hot vapor degreasing process. The air quality in the proximity of the tank was monitored and recorded 24/7. If the alarm went off the area was evacuated. When the chart recorder ran out of paper the alarm would go off and the workers would scatter like rabbits.

[Nathan Johnson]

Often on mine if the coating is gone my only treatment is with a wax & oil mixture (Howard's) that gives a nice feel and finish to the rosewood.

If the original finish is shellac it will soften or come off with alcohol. If it is lacquer acetone or lacquer thinner should do the job.

Some of the coatings Stanley used after the war hid the beauty of the rosewood.

jtk

Howard's is my go to now also. They feel wonderful and look great too.