[ARC5] Cleaning fine crackle paint

[Richard Knoppow]

      There have already been a number of answers to this but I will add 
one:
      I use warm water and dishwashing detergent to do the cleaning. A 
paint brush will help get dirt out of the texture. Rinse with warm 
water.  Once the dirt is off let the paint dry for a day.  Then rub down 
with boiled linseed oil.  Apply it with a soft brush and immediately use 
a soft, absorbent, cloth to remove as much as possible.  Let it dry and 
set for a day.  It will restore the "wet" look to the paint and will 
stay that way for years.  This works best on black but will work on 
other colors.  Linseed oil may yellow after a time but it takes years 
and will come off again with detergent and water.
      While naphtha (Ronsonol) is a good degreaser and relatively safe 
it will attack some paints.
      I don't know what is in some of the household spray cleaners but 
have had the decals on an old typewriter damaged by one of them, I don't 
remember which one I tried.

On 4/16/2015 4:47 PM, hwhall at compuserve.com wrote:
> I'm sure this has been covered but probably long ago... What are some good techniques for cleaning old, fine dirt & dust from fine grained black crackle paint? I've tried dish soap, warm water & toothbrush but it seems every time it the paint dries there is still light colored dirt in the crackles.
>
> Thanks & 73,
>
> Wayne
> WB4OGM
>

-- 
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL