03-29-2021, 04:17 PM
The finish is tinted shellac then French polished in critical areas. Heat and sunlight have both caused the finish to flow and the shellac to further darken. A very good cleaning as Kirk suggested is the best way to go. The problem is most folks cannot manage a re-finish in shellac. It does take skill as does the subsequent French polishing. The shellac would require separate tinting if a commercial product cannot be found.
I once owned a Radiola 28, very dirty and alligator. Much of the alligator went away just with the cleaning. I did not re-finish as it gave the radio the character of age that cannot be ever duplicated unless one want to wait 95 years... My cleaner at the time was Murphy's oil soap floor strength using dampened rags.
Howard's restorer is a good product to re-amalgamate a shellac finish and preserve the shellac tint, choose the correct color to compliment the original finish.
I do not use GoJo because of the lanolin and sterate residue could retard drying of any finishing product applied later.
Since the finish is not flaking off, there is no pourus wood to create a dull area.
Great you rescued this radio...
GL chas
I once owned a Radiola 28, very dirty and alligator. Much of the alligator went away just with the cleaning. I did not re-finish as it gave the radio the character of age that cannot be ever duplicated unless one want to wait 95 years... My cleaner at the time was Murphy's oil soap floor strength using dampened rags.
Howard's restorer is a good product to re-amalgamate a shellac finish and preserve the shellac tint, choose the correct color to compliment the original finish.
I do not use GoJo because of the lanolin and sterate residue could retard drying of any finishing product applied later.
Since the finish is not flaking off, there is no pourus wood to create a dull area.
Great you rescued this radio...
GL chas
Pliny the younger
“nihil novum nihil varium nihil quod non semel spectasse sufficiat”
