DIYbanter - View Single Post - Refinishing tips for a 70-year-old mahogany dining room set

ChairMan[_6_]

dpb wrote:
On 12/17/2012 7:59 PM, wrote:
On Monday, December 17, 2012 6:23:04 PM UTC-5, DanG
wrote:

I question whether you really should refinish this set.
I assume
it is fairly good shape and just needs some TLC.

Pick out some portion that is inconspicuous, perhaps the
legs or
...

Rub it down really well and clean and wipe with clean
rags and paint
thinner until a white rag comes away clean. The paint
thinner won't
hurt any finish that is on the pieces and will remove
wax and
polish. I'm wanting you to see what it looks like with
just a really good
cleaning. If there are any scratches, etc use some
Watco Danish
oil of an appropriate color. ...

So what you are saying is to use paint thinner and it
will get all
that built up wax and sticky fingerprints off and leave
the finish
alone. That's what I wanted to hear most of all. I was
surprised
when somebody said they used stain way back then to make
things
darker. That is probably the reason the tops of the
chair backs are
lighter than everything else: because people always put
their hands
right in the middle of that spot.

Is that where I could put a little danish oil? This
isn't the best
piece of furniture. Because of circumstances, we use
this dining set
at least a couple times a month. Sometimes for eating
and sometimes
for doing things on it. We keep it covered but the old
scratches and
such are there. There was a cat years and years ago that
used to
jump up on the table and got some claw marks in it.
There are marks
from writing on the table top--some are probably as old
as the table.
And, like I said, there are several deep gouges in the
buffet top.
...

Well, do some more research before you really start if
this is really
a piece/set of any value (monetary or personal)...

I'd suggest at least watching the Mohawk videos and
practicing some w/
their or similar products before you even _think_ of
beginning on the
real thing.

http://www.mohawk-finishing.com
http://www.mohawk-finishing.com/catalog_browse.asp?ictNbr=109
http://www.mohawk-finishing.com/catalog_browse.asp?ictNbr=106

They've got a "veritable plethora" of you-tube videos on
filling w/
various products for the various types of damage and
locations.

I second the Mohawk reccomendation and I'll add that their
toning lacquers can produce excellent results
http://www.mohawk-finishing.com/cata...asp?ictNbr=171