Golden Era Things You've Revived Or Repaired For Use

[LizzieMaine]

I don't have a digital camera, but next time one of the kids comes over I'll get her to snap one!

 

[2jakes]

Repairs Done...

Replaced the Aide Memoire.
Repaired the inkstand and pen-rest.
Glued the inkwell back together.
Reassembled the inkstand and pen-rest.
Repaired the organiser.
Repaired the lock.
Found a key for it.
Cleaned the leather.
Glued it back down.

Unfortunately, the scratches on the leather are permanent. Nothing I can do to remove them....

Greetings Mr. Shangas,
if anyone can fix it, I know you can.

I recall your vintage "sewing machines" & you helped with advise on my hand-crank
1900s Singer. And perhaps you can help me on this.

I have an old swivel chair which I bought at an old building that used to be lawyer's offices.

Has leather padding on the seat & is probably Oak wood.

On the left side, my cat threw up some time ago & has now petrified.
What cleaner would you suggest to remove this that won't harm the wood ?



The only label is this brass plate on the rear.
The Marble Chair Co. Bedford, Ohio

When you have some time, please let me know.
Thank You.
J

 

[Shangas]

Is the leg just stained? Or is it like...crusted-over feline vomit?

Try it with just warm soapy water first and see what happens. If that doesn't work, then perhaps olive oil (or sewing machine oil) to loosen it up? I wouldn't want to use any specific chemicals or polish right away, just in case it damages the wood.

It's a beautiful chair. I'd love something like that.

Any chance of a photograph of the desk nearby?

 

[2jakes]

"Any chance of a photograph of the desk nearby?"

Well... there's enough dust under the desk...
I was thinking of planting flower seeds.
And when it's presentable...I will kodak the desk.

Thanks for the advice, I was going to use wood stain remover...
but that would've been worse
than what Polo did !

.
Way to go Jake...!
plaster my face on the forum so everyone can see
it was me who puked on your stupid chair...sheesh !

 

[Shangas]

Let me know how it works out, Jake.

 

[2jakes]

Let me know how it works out, Jake.

Thank You for asking. It worked out fine with just warm soapy water.
But it did leave a stain as a result from the acidity of the cat's spit on the leg.
But since I like to dabble in oil paints I was able to adjust the colors more or less.

before:

after:

The painting hobby has helped me on other things as well. (leather jacket stains)

I'm a self taught painter & I've always been fascinated by old style painters whose
brush strokes were not very evident in their work.
It was very challenging but fun as well.
This is a photo of Gen. Custer that I used as my test project.

And on canvas I started with the basic skull/muscles in mostly dark colors.

I kept adding thin washes until I arrived to this point.

I haven't finished on the shadows totally.

I did this while recuperating in bed.
Hope you like it.

jake


p.s. I watched a movie "Little Big Man" & I went to the library to read about
the real persons. There are many photos & I picked this one for the sole reason
that it looked easy to capture on canvas & is not an attempt to glorify in any manner.
Next time, I will try to do Sitting Bull.
But I usually paint landscapes not people.

 

[St. Louis]

So this isn't too exciting, especially considering all the mechanical wizards who post on this thread. But I'm kind of pleased to be reviving an old drying rack, very similar to the one my grandmother had next to her coal stove.

When my microwave bit the dust a couple of years ago I decided not to replace it. I'm tired of appliances breaking down after only a few years of mild use. By that time I had already begun retrofitting my house to the late 1930s anyway. I found that I didn't miss it even a tiny bit. The only thing I needed to figure out was how to disinfect my kitchen sponges. I recalled that my grandma used dish cloths, which she hung up next to the stove to dry every day. Once they were dry they could go into the laundry bag.

So I found an old wooden drying rack and I installed it over the sink. I have plenty of dish cloths, so I can use a fresh one every day. I think it's actually more sanitary than using sponges. I found that wooden scrubbing brush in an Asian grocery store. My grandma had one just like it, too.

 

[Shangas]

I repaired this sewing machine (1916 New Home vibrating shuttle) for a friend. It belonged to her grandmother.

 

[jamespowers]

I repaired this sewing machine (1916 New Home vibrating shuttle) for a friend. It belonged to her grandmother.

Nice job! I have two or three to send you.

 

[Shangas]

If you post photos of them, I'd be happy to guide you through it?

 

[filfoster]

Not to break the sewing machine thread, pun intended, but, to the OP, I have used a 1947-vintage push mower (the motorless, reel-blade type) to cut my yards for over 30 years. It's sometimes slow to start but it runs on beer. The type is typical of the 'Golden Age. Few have ever wanted to borrow it. although I have collected several additional 'free' ones from spectators.

Does anyone else use one of these?

 

[LizzieMaine]

My grandparents used to have one -- they had a very small yard, and it was kind of ridiculous to use a power mower on it, so my grandfather pushed this old reel mower around until he was no longer healthy enough to do so. It was old, and rusty, but he'd kept the blades sharp and the ball-bearings in the wheels oiled, so it did what it needed to do. I don't have any lawn mower at all right now -- my neighbor mows the lawn for me to give him an excuse for having a power mower -- but if I had one I'd use a reel.

 

[filfoster]

I have sharpened the blades but I find that they rather self-sharpen with use. I do have to oil the bearings every year and that grating noise is a clue that I've forgotten.
My main concern now is if anything ever breaks, such as the hard rubber busting off the wheels, that I can't replace or repair. The wooden roller has been 'iffy' the last several years but I believe I could get a new one turned from oak or ash. Our ash trees have taken a beating from the emerald borer so there's plenty of wood around.
I do enjoy the exercise and the lawn looks like a putting green (with weeds) when it's cut.

 

[docneg]

My 1940 Royal manual typewriter, which I use every day, finally has a problem I can't fix. My last repairman died and I can't find anyone remaining to service it. Does anyone know anyone in the Pittsburgh PA (or 100 mile radius) area who has the skills? Somebody here has to have a source.
Thanks.

 

[Shangas]

Just out of curiosity - what's wrong with it?

 

[St. Louis]

Back to the rotary lawn mower for a moment: I use one b/c my back yard is tiny, and there are steps from the (even tinier) garage up to the yard. There's no point in acquiring a gasoline or electric-powered motor. The problem with the rotary mower is that if you don't keep the grass fairly short, they're pretty much useless. We've had almost nothing but rain here in the middle west all summer, and I've never mastered the art of cutting the grass in the rain, so now I practically have a hayfield out there. Sigh.

 

[vitanola]

Not to break the sewing machine thread, pun intended, but, to the OP, I have used a 1947-vintage push mower (the motorless, reel-blade type) to cut my yards for over 30 years. It's sometimes slow to start but it runs on beer. The type is typical of the 'Golden Age. Few have ever wanted to borrow it. although I have collected several additional 'free' ones from spectators.

Does anyone else use one of these?

I currently use a "Silent Yard Man" reel mower dating to the 1940's, but am looking for something older, with iron rather than rubber tires.

 

[Renault]

My adopted grand dad used to have the contraption you used to sharpen the blades on those old mowers. It was in the basement of the gunsmith shop. I remember seeing it. He said back in the day he would get like $2 or $3 to sharpen a set. Lots of cash in the depression and before. I suppose if you had a yard and could afford the mower you coud afford to have the blades sharpened. Said he made lots Of cash with that thing.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I think the thing my grandfather used was the same kind of gadget that's used for sharpening ice skates -- it had an abrasive stone fitted into a little clamp that you'd slide along the blade until you'd gotten an edge.

 

[Renault]

This thing looked like an old sewing machine stand that you put the blade assembly in. i don't know how it worked after that other than you ran either a file Or carborundum along blade and turned the blade in the jig as necessary. It may even had an electric motor on it to turn the stone. I was more interested in looking thru all the ancient gun parts!! At this time mowing the lawn was not something I enjoyed!!!

But I remember it. Mebbe it was about table height. And 3' or 4' long. It's been 40 years or more since I saw it! I dunno what your sharpen ice skates on. Does this sound familiar???? We didnt get into lots of that activity down here! LOL!