On several pieces of furniture my Mom left to the family, there are
scattered cigarette burns. Some are small, but there are some about two
inches long by a quarter-inch wide. I don't know the finish (does it
matter?) but the wood is walnut. This is really nice stuff and it kinda
makes me sick to see that it was abused and neglected this way. Is there
any way to fix it, or should we just try to cover and hide the burn marks
as best we can?

On Jan 22, 9:13 am, Steve wrote:
Smaug Ichorfang wrote on 22 Jan 2008 in group
rec.woodworking:

On several pieces of furniture my Mom left to the family, there are
scattered cigarette burns. Some are small, but there are some about
two inches long by a quarter-inch wide. I don't know the finish
(does it matter?) but the wood is walnut. This is really nice stuff
and it kinda makes me sick to see that it was abused and neglected
this way. Is there any way to fix it, or should we just try to cover
and hide the burn marks as best we can?

There's no easy answer.

First, determine whether the pieces have any value as antiques. If you
mess around with them, you decrease the value.

How so? I suspect you're falling for the Antiques Roadshow trap. Sure,
a refurbished piece is worth less than a pristine piece that was
untouched by humans and light for two hundred years. But we're not
dealing with a pristine piece. This item is damaged. If it is old and
potentially valuable, then get it professionally appraised. That
person should be able to steer you in the right direction WRT to
refurbishing it.

Jeff

Jeff wrote:
On Jan 22, 9:13 am, Steve wrote:
Smaug Ichorfang wrote on 22 Jan 2008 in group
rec.woodworking:

On several pieces of furniture my Mom left to the family, there
are
scattered cigarette burns. Some are small, but there are some
about
two inches long by a quarter-inch wide. I don't know the finish
(does it matter?) but the wood is walnut. This is really nice
stuff
and it kinda makes me sick to see that it was abused and neglected
this way. Is there any way to fix it, or should we just try to
cover and hide the burn marks as best we can?

There's no easy answer.

First, determine whether the pieces have any value as antiques. If
you mess around with them, you decrease the value.

How so? I suspect you're falling for the Antiques Roadshow trap.
Sure,
a refurbished piece is worth less than a pristine piece that was
untouched by humans and light for two hundred years.

It's also worth less than an otherwise identical piece in reasonably
good condition that was in daily use for 200 years.

But we're not
dealing with a pristine piece. This item is damaged.

It is? All that was mentioned was discoloration due to cigarettes.
While some would consider that to be "damage", others consider it to
be "character". If that burn had been there for 200 years would you
still consider it to be "damage" that needs to be "repaired"?

If it is old and
potentially valuable, then get it professionally appraised. That
person should be able to steer you in the right direction WRT to
refurbishing it.

Or whether it should be "refurbished" at all beyond normal cleaning.


--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 10:58:41 GMT, Smaug Ichorfang
wrote:

On several pieces of furniture my Mom left to the family, there are
scattered cigarette burns. Some are small, but there are some about two
inches long by a quarter-inch wide. I don't know the finish (does it
matter?) but the wood is walnut. This is really nice stuff and it kinda
makes me sick to see that it was abused and neglected this way. Is there
any way to fix it, or should we just try to cover and hide the burn marks
as best we can?


Sanding and refinishing: It's a lot of work.

"Smaug Ichorfang" wrote in message
...
On several pieces of furniture my Mom left to the family, there are
scattered cigarette burns. Some are small, but there are some about two
inches long by a quarter-inch wide. I don't know the finish (does it
matter?) but the wood is walnut. This is really nice stuff and it kinda
makes me sick to see that it was abused and neglected this way. Is there
any way to fix it, or should we just try to cover and hide the burn marks
as best we can?

---
This may sound like an evil thing to do but why not smooth it out and use
some of that fabulous walnut veneer you have over the top of it?

Kate

"Kate" wrote in
:

This may sound like an evil thing to do but why not smooth it out and
use some of that fabulous walnut veneer you have over the top of it?

No, not evil. I don't know if I'm good enough to do something like that.
Two of the pieces are end tables, about 2' square. They're of fairly basic
design, but some of the highest quality furniture I've ever seen. I don't
know the mfgr. Next to my lack of ability (or maybe just lack of
confidance), is the lack of equipment to do something like this. *However*
you've given me an idea: make a decorative cover from the veneer. It need
not be permenently attached to cover up all the marks. Gotta look at the
pieces again to see if this would work.

Smaug Ichorfang wrote:
"Kate" wrote in
:

This may sound like an evil thing to do but why not smooth it out
and
use some of that fabulous walnut veneer you have over the top of
it?

No, not evil. I don't know if I'm good enough to do something like
that. Two of the pieces are end tables, about 2' square. They're of
fairly basic design, but some of the highest quality furniture I've
ever seen. I don't know the mfgr. Next to my lack of ability (or
maybe just lack of confidance), is the lack of equipment to do
something like this. *However* you've given me an idea: make a
decorative cover from the veneer. It need not be permenently
attached to cover up all the marks. Gotta look at the pieces again
to see if this would work.

Suggestion. Look all over them for a manufacturer's mark--if they're
that good there's very likely such a mark somewhere. If they're still
in business contact them for advice.

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)