The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

Furniture Finishing

The Patch Work Kit

A LIST of materials for patching can be made long or short, according to one's desires as to completeness, and as to whether one enumerates materials generally regarded as finishing materials. We will confine the list, for the most part, to materials used exclusively for patching, and only name such necessary materials as are commonly used in finishing but needed for patching.

Most patchers have a kit designed to hold such materials as are regularly needed for patching the most common damages. This kit is usually made in such a way as to allow opening with every material in a handy position for immediate use without disturbing the other material or tools. (Many such cases are now on the market, and in fact thousands of them are in use.) Not a day passes but many homes are invaded by "complaint men," who follow up deliveries of furniture to repair slight damages to the finish made in transit. The day is past when an up-to-date house will allow a man to drag into a home a heavy tool-chest or an ordinary satchel, from which he will extricate a conglomerate mess of bottles, cans, and tools, covered with stain and what not, with all labels and distinguishing marks obliterated, and strew them all over the furniture, floor, and even the carpets.

To say the least, such a method is a poor advertisement, but the worst part is the delay in assembling the proper tools and material for the repair out of such a mess. Add to this the danger of spilling material, the anxiety of the housewife, the frequent use of wrong material by mistake, and it is to be hoped the cause for an up-to-date kit is won.

MATERIALS FOR A KIT

An easy frenching material, such as an amalgamater for varnish surfaces, and another, called French varnish, for building by frenehing, will suffice for frenching. One needs a rubber or sponge for use with these materials, as well as some light oil for lubricating the pad.

For burning-in one requires an assortment of at least a dozen different colors of wood cement including transparent cement. A knife of good steel, which will not lose its temper over an alcohol flame, about a four-inch blade, not over one inch wide and beveled at the point, is needed to apply the cement. Of course an alcohol lamp or torch to fit the case is also necessary.