Removing water stains from antique furniture - an old trick

[AnselmFraser]

Did you know that you can remove a water stain from the polished surface of antique furniture by spraying it carefully with a little meths and setting fire to it! See how we did it at the Chippendale International School of Furniture http://bit.ly/VdrX7z This technique is only for professional woodworkers!

What other techniques do you like to use for getting rid of furniture stains?

Anselm Fraser

 

[Teckel]

Paint!!
:lol: :lol:

 

[riclepp]

thats pretty cool. He's a bit ecentric isn't he :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[xy mosian]

I have sucesfully removed water rings from polished furniture with metal polish. Brasso works well, needs a bit of elbow grease mind.
xy

 

[houtslager]

that's old - but then I am old and a restorer to boot

K

 

[Giff]

He says " it's gone " ! hasn't all the shellac gone as well ?

 

[jimi43]

Loon! :mrgreen:

Jim

 

[Richard T]

At first it sounds like "An old tip for removing antique furniture" but it seems to work very well.

I know that it is just the vapour that is burning and that not much heat will be transferred to the table top but there must be enough to get rid of the stain. Whatever it does to the rest of the surface it must leave it all even, allbeit evenly frazzled.

 

[Benchwayze]

Spraying meths while there's a naked flame nearby? (Whoomph!) One day he will remove his eyebrows too; at the very least his eyebrows... What a loon. :shock:

 

[twothumbs]

Soft paper and a warm iron has done it for me several times. More carefuly controled. Not a trace left behind.
Best wishes.

 

[soulboy]

he's just showboating :roll:
as others have said, it works but its not without risks.
chris

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Don't we need a few risk takers?? or does everything have to be done by the book? sure he appears to be a bit of an pineapple, he could have gone about it in a more controlled and informative manner but certainly a useful tip all the same.

Thanks for sharing Anselem

 

[Kris]

Great video anselm, you demonstrated that very well!

 

[Harbo]

I've seen that a few times at various Shows but by a gentleman with long hair and a shaggy beard?
It's quite spectacular.

Rod

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Shallac. I thought this method was only good for wax finishes.

Nail varnish remover works on PU finishes.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Did you know that you can remove a water stain from the polished surface of antique furniture by spraying it carefully with a little meths and setting fire to it! Anselm Fraser

It's an old and useful trick Anselm, although at the end of your video I could still see the mark, but it was much less evident. I assume you planned to do a bit more work of some sort after the pyrotechnics to finish the job?

Less flamboyant, but effective on things like white rings from iced drinks, is to make up a rubber as per normal, but well dampen (not soak) the wadding with only alcohol. The rubber is squeezed gently as it's used in a pendulum motion so the cloth just brushes the surface of the damaged area. Patience and a little time usually effect a big improvement. The way it works for those that haven't already worked it out is that the alcohol in the rubber, just a little of which with each pass transfers to the polish, softens the polish enough to allow the trapped water to escape as vapour. The key to this method is knowing when you've applied enough alcohol for now so to speak, then give it a rest if need be, and go back for another go, or a few more goes, as required. And sometimes there's a need to do a bit of work at the end to the whole surface to achieve an even appearance and sheen. Slainte.

 

[bugbear]

Did you know that you can remove a water stain from the polished surface of antique furniture by spraying it carefully with a little meths and setting fire to it! See how we did it at the Chippendale International School of Furniture http://bit.ly/VdrX7z This technique is only for professional woodworkers!

What happens if an amateur uses the technique - and how does the technique know?

Do I need to show headed notepaper, or a tax return to the technique?

:lol: :lol: :lol:

BugBear

 

[JessicaStripe]

​wow, never tried setting fire to my antiques! I've found that lemon and water always works

 

[AnselmFraser]

I like setting fire to things , you should all try it ! If you have to strip a piece of furniture ( providing that the finish is meth based ) : The normal method is you put on more and more meth to get off the finish in order to refinish , it can sometimes warp from excess moisture or sometimes change colour .... alternative method just spray on some meths and set fire to it ....the finish softens ....do it again ...and the remove the polish in the normal way ...it is much quicker and more fun ...and sometimes it gets rid of water marks , but always makes them better .

 

[marcus]

What happens if an amateur uses the technique - and how does the technique know?

Do I need to show headed notepaper, or a tax return to the technique?

:lol: