There is nothing that affords more satisfaction to one looking for
pleasing effects in household fittings than the occasional piece of
genuine old furniture repaired and re-finished. Some of the rare old
colonial designs are of exceptional merit. This is proved by the high
prices which they often command. These designs originated in the days
of the genuine hand crafts, before the invention of machine-made,
cheap furniture. The work of the older designers was characterized
by a certain individuality which gave it artistic value; and the
craftsmen who worked out these designs did their work with such care
and thoroughness that what they produced has had a lasting quality. It
is for these reasons that we find it still in existence and so much
desired.
_Caution as to Repairs._--In the work of renovating old furniture,
problems are met which are very different from those which have to be
considered in the production of new work. All questions of design are
settled. There is generally enough of the original article to show what
the design was. The problem is one of restoration; we must supply
the missing parts and re-finish the whole. The first thing to do,
therefore, with any piece of genuine antique furniture is to look it
over carefully from the point of view of the cabinet-maker, note its
defects, supply the missing or loosened parts, and mend the breaks. It
will be found that the wood is generally exceedingly dry and brittle on
account of its age, and that it will therefore need to be handled more
carefully than new wood; and, in matching up, it will often be found
desirable to make use of parts of other old pieces rather than to add
new wood to the old. This is especially true of veneering, which cannot
be well matched in any other way. Old bits of veneer, on the other
hand, may be so deftly fitted into the spaces where they are needed
that the grafting is entirely obscured by subsequent finishing.
_Scraping._--After the necessary repairs have been made, the next
thing to be done is to remove the old finish. If the varnish is dry
and brittle and somewhat cracked, it may be removed by means of a
well-sharpened scraper, great care being taken, however, not to
injure the wood surface, especially at the corners and edges. If the
scraper does not take off the varnish well at certain points, fine
sand-papering may be resorted to. It is generally wise, also, to give
the entire surface a light sand-papering before it is cleaned up for
finishing.
_The Varnish Remover._--It often happens, however, that the scraper
will not accomplish the desired result. In that case the liquid varnish
remover is necessary. This may be found at the paint stores. The best
formulas for producing these varnish and paint removers are known only
to the manufacturers. It is therefore not wise for the young finisher
to attempt to make his own remover. He should provide himself with a
can of it and a bristle brush with which to apply it to the furniture.
After putting on a good coat he should let it remain a few minutes
and then try to scrape off the softened finish with a putty knife.
If it doesn't come off readily, it should stand a little longer. The
amount of time required depends entirely upon the hardness of the old
finish. But in due time it will become soft and can be very quickly and
effectually removed. A putty knife, however, will not remove it all.
After scraping off as much as possible from the plain surfaces and from
the corners, a careful washing with turpentine or benzine will clean
off what remains. It is of the greatest importance that none of the old
varnish nor any of the varnish remover should be permitted to remain.
Either of them will show through the finish as stains on the broad
surfaces and collect in the corners when the new finish is put on.
_Re-finishing._--The re-finishing process is much like that described
for new work, the chief exception being that there is generally no need
of filling unless it has been found necessary to add new wood in making
the repairs. Generally speaking, the re-finishing begins with the
surfacing, which may be done with thin shellac coloured to match the
stain of the furniture. This is sand-papered lightly before receiving
the one or more coats of finishing varnish necessary to produce the
desired effect. Very often all that is needed is a well rubbed down wax
finish.