French polishing

[judyvin]

Has anyone had any furniture polished here? I have several items of dark English oak that have some scratches, nicks and other marks and need them to be professionally polished. Can anyone recommend anyone here to do this, preferably East side. Thank you

[judyvin]

Can anyone advise?

[Denise13]

i don't know if anyone does do it here to the same standard that we know of french polishing, my experience some years ago in Lefkoşa was an antique table and a dining table and chairs to be just painted in a horrible brown paint even though it was requested to be polished and explained in Turkish and they stated they understood. the table and chairs isn't a big thing but i was most upset by my mum's antique table and am too scared to go elsewhere in case it becomes even worse. my dad used to be a french polisher and he had lots of tins with all different colours that he used to mix and it was a labour of love that he did everything but a dying art i think. for small scratches mr pound do a set of 3 touch up pens in shades of brown, not perfect but for small marks i have found ok as a quick fix. if you do find a professional and he's good i'd be interested of his details. good luck

[judyvin]

Oh dear, poor you. Thank you for the advice. I think I will put up with all the marks but will let you know if I do find someone.

[Keithcaley]

I need a French Polisher to remove some 'Heat Marks' from a coffee table, but I see that there haven't been any positive responses to this thread yet

Has anyone got any suggestions?

[Keithcaley]

Help please - Anyone??????

[Barney]

Traditional french polishing has not been used commercially on furniture for decades, it's too fragile. It can be used to repair antique furniture but is not easy to use in hot climates. Synthetic spray finishes are used on modern furniture. There's a company in UK call Liberon who make a range of products that can be used for repairs. I have used one of their coloured hard wax sticks to fill deep scratches in furniture. I don't know if they have stockists in Cyprus.

[fatouche]

Why don't you try Ronniess in Karağolanoğlu ? Even if they don'dt do it themselves they may well know someone who does.

[Keithcaley]

fatouche - why didn't I think of that?

Thank you!

p.s. That was a really good stab at spelling Karaoğlanoğlu! 9/10

p.p.s. I suppose that you'll blame 'your arm', and go for the sympathy vote

[fatouche]

No Keith...my arms are working perfectly well, but obviously my brain isn't !


Here is the number for Ronnies in Karaoğlanoğlu . Got it right this time !

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... 5598,d.d24


Fatma

[Keithcaley]

Thanks fatouche.

I just had a 'nudge' via PM from snd1966 to remind me to pop in to see Roy next door while I'm there.

I haven't been to see him for ages, I must be the worst friend in the World!

[Muzer]

Hi Keith regarding you hot marks. With mine , I was told to but two tea cloths folded and slightly damp on the marks. Run your hot iron on top of the cloths and they started to remove it only took two or three minutes. Leave to dry. Polish as normal. That's the advice I was given by a French polisher in UK .

[jofra]

Another (slightly more hair-raising!) method is to pour a little methylated spirits onto the mark - and set fire to it! Watch for the mark to start disappearing, and then immediately smother/extinguish the burning meths. Works on the same principle as the iron (heat dissipating the damp/vapour marks - but note; OK on ordinary varnished surfaces, but not lacquered/french polished surfaces....

[Sugarpuffbear]

It is unlikely oak furniture is French Polished, are you sure this this wood is oak? Most oak furniture is polished with a beeswax type polish, some is treated with a resistant coating for spills. If it is just scratches in a bees wax type polished oak, try, if a light colour, colouring them in with a felt tip permanent marker, amazon sell them for furniture, then fill the scratch with a bees wax type polish. If of a similar colour to the rest of the wood, just use bees wax. All bee keepers will have some wax. You can always warm the wax for it to run in the scratch. If it is treated oak with a varnish or similar coating you will have to have the furniture stripped down and re-coated as there is no way around trying to make good a treated coating.
Mahogany. rose wood and others are quite often French Polished you can try bees wax on these scratches. Otherwise it is a difficult job and it really requires a professional to do it, as any DIY efforts usually make things worse.

[Sugarpuffbear]

Muzer, your advice to Keith is correct if his table is French Polished, a steam iron and a thick tea towel checking continuosly which areas to steam as you use it. Also as has been said before French polishing is not used these days much and it is more likely your table is either treated or polished wood. On polished wood a home made reviver might help to remove white heat marks, dependent on the liquids you can obtain in TRNC.