The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Furniture Finishing
SURFACING PACKING MARKS
In case the impression in the finish is light enough to allow rubbing out by passing the felt over the surface a few times, dip the felt in rubbing oil and then in FFF pumice stone and rub with the grain very lightly, no more than a dozen times over the spot, being careful to feather out the rubbing past the spot, at least four inches each way. If the spot appears a little dull compared to the rest of the finish, use another felt with rottenstone and oil and polish to match the rest of the surface. Most of the finishes at this period are either dull or satin finish, but occasionally a high polish is encountered and in this case it is best to French polish.
If the marks are to be French polished out and they are fairly deep, use either a felt or cork block for holding the garnet paper, and with 7/0 paper on which you have applied some oil, sand the surface lightly with the grain until you have cut the high places down about level with the rest of the finish. Be careful not to sand the surface down to the stain, as this causes the most difficult patch in transparent finishes. Few packing marks are deep enough to go all the way to the wood; if so, refer to Chapter V, for instruction on filling.
After rubbing the surface down with pumice, if light marks, or sanding down the finish with garnet paper, clean off the finish with benzene and wipe dry, and begin to french the surface.
FRENCHIXG OUT PACKING MARKS
Taking the rubber, previously described, and after applying a small amount of lemon oil, apply amalgamates or similar product directed for use in removing the finish. The amalgamater must be applied from the bottle to the surface of the rubber and then the pad or rubber pressed into the palm of the other hand. This spreads the liquid on the surface of the pad, making an even application to the surface. Begin the frenching of the surface on the spot sanded. Eight here is a good place, and packing marks a good damage, to begin the proper use of the rubber. It is easier to learn its proper use when actually working on this kind of damage, where the results are quicker, than on some of the other damages described in later chapters.
USING THE RUBBER FOR FRENCHING
Begin immediately to make circular motions with the pad and gradually allow the pad to touch the surface. The circular motions must be about four inches in diameter, if working on a flat surface, but in case of narrow rounding surfaces, the strokes must be lengthwise with the grain, lifting the pad at the end of each stroke.
