On 10 Jul 2003 10:21:09 -0700, ldancausse@no-spam (LD) wrote:
>Greetings all!
>
>I have recently acquired a French armoire (18th century, I believe).
>It's in good condition (even though the previous owners were cleaning
>it with Orange Glo) and I would like to keep it that way. After
>reading the (numerous) posts recommending the use of beeswax, I headed
>up to my nearest Home Depot. There, however, I was told that repeated
>use of (any type of) wax will eventually create a thick, dull layer
>and necessitate a complete overhaul of the piece. Yikes! Could this
>be true?
>
>I was also told that one should never apply wax directly on unsealed
>wood.
>Double yikes!! Did they seal wood in 18th century France?
>
>Just in case this isn't true(and I DO hope it isn't), is there a
>particular brand of beeswax + carnauba that one could recommend ?
>Some brands have all sorts of unrecognizable other products mixed in,
>and I want to stay away from anything that could really hurt the wood.
>
>Oh, and I almost forgot: should I be looking for a liquid or a paste
>?
>
>In advance, thank you.
>
>LD
Hi , If it is 18century (french 18c furniture was widley copied in the
19c and french-polished),
The original finish would be oil-based, rubbed down with brick
dust-Yes, it really does produce a hard shine!
this only needs a dusting every now and then-polishing requires an
expert.
Wax polishing of any kind will only result in a useless accumulation
of wax on the surface, and may lift any veneer!
David,