The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California
Furniture Finishing
The same method was used to match the dark flakes of the grain or figure but with American walnut spirit stain, powder form. One is limited in this method only to spots too small to touch with the ball of the forefinger and in such cases, a brush will suffice with liquid stain. A known spirit stain can be dissolved in alcohol and a penciling brush used to line in such places too small to cover with the finger.
On woods like the walnut buffet, or mahogany, mistakes in matching can be covered up frequently by placing a dark grain where none existed. In this particular instance a dark grain was prolonged across the scratch and matched the other places, and after matching the texture of the rubbed finish, it was not noticeable to anyone not knowing where the scratch was.
The spot must be polished after each application of stain. Pass the rubber back and forth at least twice after each application of stain, but no more than necessary. If the stain does not dissolve, it is an indication that the rubber is dry. If you take off all the stain or spread it out, your pad is too wet, and not tacky as it should be.
DULLING TO MATCH FINISH
This method of dulling has been given in a previous chapter, but a repetition will serve to illustrate how this job was finished. As soon as the surface was matched with stain and the spot was absolutely smooth, without any flaws or marks from the rubber, a stiff Chinese bristle brush, three inches wide, was used and brushed over briskly, back and forth a few times with the grain, until the spot was the same in dullness as the entire finish. This completed the job—a perfect patch.
It should be added that pumice stone in FF or FFF must be used sometimes to get the proper texture to the finish, but for most satin finishes the drv brush will suffice.
Identifications And Rubbed Through Places
ALL THE different methods in patching are employed in the repair of damages under this double heading, and for that reason some repetition will be noticed. For minute details in French polishing and burning-in, refer to Chapters III and IV, as these operations will not be fully explained in this chapter.
INDENTATIONS
If any solid or heavy material is allowed to fall on the finished surface of a piece of furniture, the weight will cause an indentation. Some woods are softer than others and will, of course, dent easier. If the finish is very thin, the dent will be more into the wood than if the finish is thick, as in the case of a piano, with several coats of varnish. Placing heavy objects on a finish will sometimes cause indentations, especially if the object has sharp points which cut into the finish. Setting dishes down heavily on a finished surface, even if a cloth is over the table, will frequently cause an indentation.
