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Collection Antique Tools:
When restoring antique furniture, the best tools are, without doubt, those that were originally used in the 18th and 19th centuries. For a hobby restorer, modern tools are a suitable, and realistic, substitute, but anyone wishing to pursue a career in the field of Furniture restoration should endeavour to build up as wide a collection antique tools of antique tools as possible. Such tools were made by craftsmen for craftsmen. The steel used then is still the best for holding a suitable cutting edge now, and the handles, made from box or rosewood, feel more comfortable to the hand than modern materials such as plastic. Often you will see numerous names stamped into the handle of an antique tool, indicating how it has passed through the hands of generations of craftsmen.
Old tools can be found in a number of places, ranging from specialized tool auctions or car boot sales, to local fetes and classified advertisements in the local paper. If you are really lucky, you may have the opportunity to buy the tools and contents of the workshop of a retiring cabinet-maker. If this happens, beg or borrow the funds to buy the tools, since such events are rare indeed.In the absence of antique tools, or while you are building up your collection antique tools, start your toolkit by buying modern equivalents, but be sure to buy the best quality that is available within your budget. Clamps are an exception to this rule, and modern sash, snap and G-clamps are fine. These are expensive pieces of equipment, so it is a good idea to buy a few whenever you can afford them. Modern screwdrivers, saws and chisels can be purchased to begin with, and you can gradually replace them with older examples if you want. Some tools and equipment, such as spring clips, can be made in the workshop (see p.215). Most cabinet-makers take a lifetime to build up their collection antique tools of tools, and almost all craftsmen will prefer to work with only their own tools, which, once purchased, should last a lifetime.
See Also Antique Leather:
Since the 17th century, leather has been used as a covering on desk tops and also inset into writing surfaces. Nineteenth-century leather tops are not unusual on antique leather furniture, and occasionally, if it has been treated carefully, you may even find a desk or Table with the original leather from the 18th century. In the majority of cases, however, cracking, tearing or wear will mean that the leather surface has to be replaced.Leather was often used to cover writing surfaces as well as act as an upholstery material in antique leather furniture. Due to its nature, however, leather tends to become dry and brittle, and so usually has a shorter life than that of the piece of Furniture it adorns. During the life of a piece of leather-topped furniture, therefore, the leather may have been replaced a number of times, and on occasion it may simply have been renewed because the owner wanted a colour change. Even so, a worn and textured leather surface can often enhance the character of a piece of furniture, and the surface can be revived. On this leather surface, you can see clearly where a blotter, which offered protection to the central area, has been laid, and the outer, unprotected borders, which have become faded, worn and dry and so need to be revived.
On The Other Hand See Antique Silver:
Antiquing of wallpaper. Painters are often called upon to give wall¬paper an antique silver, mellow effect. This softens the colors and draws them together. If the wallpaper pattern is printed in water color (tempera), the paper should first receive a coat of gelatin size, followed by a coat of shellac. The glaze itself may be in oil or turpentine, and the procedure is the same as antiquing painted surfaces. Metal leaf. The use of silver and gold leaf surfaces in Decoration has become popular in recent years. These effects are also part of the painter's work. Aluminum leaf is generally used in place of silver, as it is less ex¬pensive and does not tarnish. The application of metal leaf is accomplished by first applying a gold size to the surface to be treated. This is allowed to dry to a thick consistency, and the leaf is then applied to the size and allowed to dry thoroughly. It is best to varnish metal leaf for protection. Metal leaf is usually glazed over the varnish for antique silver effects.During the preparation of the emul¬sion, the sulfur compound is believed to react with silver halide to form particles of silver sul-fide too small to be seen under a microscope; later these act as nuclei of sensitivity in the crystal of silver bromide. Other investigators corroborated these findings, and showed that some other sulfur-containing agents, both organic and inorganic, could act as sensitizers. It became known that a cause of emulsion sensitiveness is the presence of silver sulfide on the silver bromide crystal. It has also been shown that silver and gold can act in a similar manner.
