The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Furniture Finishing
Steel wool of the proper grade can be used if careful not to cut too deeply in spots. It is difficult to get this material to cut the same over the entire surface, as you usually wad up some of it and start rubbing back and forth over the spot, and as you do so, you will find that some places have been rubbed more than others. If this is continued you will rub through at some point before the spot has been brought down to a level with the surrounding surface.
No matter what material is used to surface at first, the pumice and oil, with a possible addition of rottenstone, will, in all probability, be needed as a finishing touch to get the desired luster or texture to the finish.
Patching spots with a spray at its best, is a difficult undertaking and can only be accomplished after many trials and by one who has some idea as to the original finish and just how much material to spray over the sanded surface. It is not expected that anyone who is unfamiliar with finishes can readily patch a spot by merely following these directions, but if anyone, desiring to patch a spot in the manner described, will first attempt the job on an old piece or obscure surface, and then if successful, perform the same operation on the spot to be patched, the results will be gratifying. Never patch a spot on a kind of finish unfamiliar to you until you have first demonstrated on another finish of the same kind that you are capable of doing the job.
If spots are sanded too much before spraying and the stain has been disturbed or sanded off, refer to Chapter V for information as to staining spots.
Caution must be used in oil rubbing a lacquer patch sooner than 24 hours after patching. Oil has a tendency to soften the lacquer film unless all of the evaporative solvents have completely left the film. Better to use steel wool on patches for real quick rubbing or pumice and water over night. Lacquer rubbing compound is an ideal product to use, and can be used sooner than most any other rubbing material.
Patching Scratches
LIGHT SCRATCHES
A LIGHT scratch may he described as a light abrasion in the last coat of finish, caused by a nail, pin or any other sharp instrument. It does not penetrate as deep as the 'wood, but merely in the finish and usually in the top coat.
Surfacing.—A light scratch is always sanded with 6/0 garnet finishing paper with a little rubbing oil on the paper, and if the scratch is on a flat surface, a felt or cork block should be used under the paper to insure level sanding. The scratch should be sanded out if in the surface coat, but if too deep, so that sanding out would cut through to the wood, use the method described in this chapter for deep scratches. The use of oil on the paper avoids excessive cutting of the surrounding surface and allows the paper to cut easier by not clogging it up with varnish or lacquer.
