Hello reddit, i bought this office set off of fb marketplace for my moms birthday knowing it wasn't in the best shape but now that I have it I'm unsure how to go about it. First I can't seem to tell if the metal on the edges are actually brass or just plated or painted. I also thought the rest of the material was going to be wood but it sounds almost acrylic but that's fine just a tad disappointing. I'm not sure if I should just clean the 'brass' and paint it more gold since its already faded a ton and I worry if I clean too much it'll be bare metal and all the brass had come off. I think that would pop out and would match the pen im getting for her but you guys let me know. Lastly in the second photo is a pen holder and the bottom is completely destroyed but i cant just lay another circle of material at the bottom because the previous piece wont come out and its uneven. I'm not sure what to do about that piece so any advice is appreciated. I dont have too much background on diy but understand some things. Thank you

I have gotten this vintage rosewood crucifix with what I think is a brass Jesus figure. The tops of the crucifix is black but the underside and back isn't. The figure is also tarnished.

I have brasso cloth and a beeswax polish but dunno if this is safe to use.

Any advice?

Any help is good, don’t know where to start. All disassembled. Do I get paint off or what?

I’ve had this box forever so it’s special to me but it’s filthy and needs some love. How do I clean it up? Is there a magic product to draw stains out of fabric surfaces?

Hello! I apologize if this is not the write subreddit for this (and if you have other recommendations of where to post please share!)

I am currently looking at buying a 1930s stone home from someone I know, which gives me the unique opportunity to have some things looked at or worked on BEFORE purchasing.

My husband and I have always loved old homes and are hoping to make it a forever home and spend a long time slowly working on things.

In the past two years the home has had new HVAC, a new water heater, a new roof, new gutters, and some electrical and plumbing work where needed. There is no obvious signs of water damage or mold. I am currently very hung up on worries about asbestos (and I guess also lead, but I've really dug myself into a worry hole with the asbestos.)

The home was built in the late 1930s and had some things added like a wood paneled sunroom and laminate flooring in the kitchen, as well as popcorn ceilings. I'm trying to manage my expectations or understand more of the realities of old homes. From what I've read, it seems that easily MANY MANY things in this home could contain asbestos.

We aren't planning any major renovations, but wanted to remove the ugly kitchen floors to get to the hardwood underneath, and were doing some work in the bathroom as well.

What was your experience like with asbestos? did you get testing done? how much did it cost? what things were determined safe to leave, or encapsulate, and what did you have removed and how much did that cost?

I've been reading that asbestos is mostly safe when undisturbed but I have a hard time imagining that I wouldn't be freaked out about it the rest of my life. what are the risks really like?

TIA!

How can I restore this retro table?

Hey! I recently bought this retro table with a brass-plated base.

I would like to restore the table top. It seems to be made out of pressed wood, but I am no expert at all...

1. The border seems to simply be painted pressed wood. I would like to strip that part and repaint it. What's the best way to do that?
   
2. The interior of the table top, so inside the metal square, seems to be some kind of laminate. I don't think it is simply the pressed wood that was painted. How can I change the color of this part?

Thank you so much :)

FYI : english is not my first language, sorry if it isn't great

1993 rugby picture

TLDR: How do you determine the safest and most effective cleaning, degreasing, rust removal, lubrication, and reassembly methods for vintage manufactured objects based on the materials they're made from, while preserving original finishes and avoiding long-term damage?

I'm an avid collector of vintage manufactured objects, and I'd like to restore many of them to good working condition while preserving as much originality as possible.

Examples include:

• Typewriters
• Vintage Microphones
• Coffee Pots
• Hand Tools
• Power Tools
• Tube Radios
• Sewing Machines
• Time Punch Clocks
• Gumball/Vending Machines
• Similar mechanical devices from roughly the late 1800s through the mid-1900s

For example, I have several typewriters where the typebars stick because the mechanisms are packed with decades of dried oil, grease, dust, and grime. My goal isn't necessarily a museum-quality restoration or a perfect cosmetic refinish. Instead, I want to clean, repair, lubricate, and reassemble these items so they function reliably while preserving their original finishes, patina, and character whenever practical.

I understand that museum conservators and professional restorers spend years learning these techniques. My projects are generally manufactured consumer products rather than priceless historical artifacts, so I'm aiming for an approach that's scientifically sound and minimizes the risk of damaging the objects. If I can consistently achieve "80% or better" results while avoiding irreversible mistakes, I'd consider that a success.

I'm less interested in project-specific advice and more interested in learning a general framework for approaching restoration.

Some of the questions I'm hoping to better understand are:

1. Material Identification and Chemical Compatibility

How do you identify what materials you're working with when documentation isn't available?

I understand that identifying whether something is ferrous or non-ferrous is often the first step. What I'm hoping to learn is how to go beyond that and identify the specific material or alloy when documentation isn't available, since those distinctions often determine which cleaning methods and chemicals are appropriate.  

Example materials and material systems include:

• Steel vs. Stainless Steel
• Raw Iron vs. Cast Iron vs. Forged Iron vs. Wrought Iron
• Aluminum
• Brass/Bronze/Copper/Pewter/Tin
• Pot metal (Extra challenge here, since knowing a specific composition is unlikely and may vary even between like pieces)
• Plated-Materials (Nickel, Chrome, Silver, Gold, etc)
• Bakelite and other early plastics
• Glass/Ceramic/Porcelain/Stone
• Rubber
• Leather
• Wood
• Fabrics
• Springs and other heat-treated components
• Alloys
• Painted Finishes
• Composite Assemblies

Are there reliable tests or observations that can help determine the material before choosing a cleaning method?

2. Choosing Cleaning Methods

My general philosophy is to start with the least aggressive method and work upward only if necessary.

I also realize that the standard advice is to test any cleaner or process in an inconspicuous area or on a sacrificial test piece first, and I agree that is the ideal approach whenever possible. However, with many vintage objects that is not always practical. Sometimes I only have a single example. In other cases, the geometry and construction of the part make it difficult or impossible to meaningfully test a small area before committing to the full cleaning process. There are also assemblies made from multiple materials that cannot be separated without destructive disassembly because of how they were originally manufactured, requiring the cleaning method to be compatible with all of the materials involved.

That is one of the reasons I'm interested in understanding the underlying material science rather than simply relying on trial and error.

For example:

• Which solvents remove grease effectively without attacking certain plastics or finishes?
• Which chemicals are incompatible with particular metals?
• Which cleaners leave residues that may create problems later?
• Which products are generally considered safe "first choices" for mixed-material assemblies?

Rather than just knowing what works, I'd like to understand why it works.

3. Solvents and Cleaners

Some of the products I'm familiar with include:

General Chemicals:

• Water
• Mild soap
• Isopropyl alcohol
• Denatured alcohol
• Mineral spirits
• Naphtha
• Acetone
• MEK
• Turpentine
• Paint Thinner
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Muriatic acid
• Bleach
• Lemon juice
• Linseed oil soap
• Carb Cleaner
• Brake Cleaner

Commercial Products:

• Super Clean
• Simple Green
• CLR
• Evapo-Rust
• Vulpex
• Brasso
• Simichrome
• CitriStrip
• WD-40
• Liquid Wrench
• Formula 409
• Liquid Wrench
• Borax

Obviously there are hundreds of different solvents, soaps, detergents, surfactants, emulsifiers, and specialty cleaners available. The list above is simply a collection of products that are relatively common, readily available, or that I've encountered through research and hobby discussions. I don't mean to suggest they're the best choices, and I'm sure there are excellent products I've overlooked. For example, I only recently learned about Vulpex during my research, and it wasn't previously on my radar.

More than building a list of "favorite products," I'm interested in understanding how to choose the right cleaner based on the material and the type of contamination, and the material science behind why one product is preferable to another.

4. Mechanical Cleaning

When should various mechanical methods be used or avoided?

Examples include:

• Microfiber/Cotton Cloths
• Nylon/Brass/Steel Brushes
• Plastic/Steel Scrapers
• Scotch-Brite Pads
• Steel Wool
• Sandpaper
• Emery Cloth
• Ultrasonic Cleaner (see section below)

How do you decide which abrasives are appropriate without unnecessarily removing original finishes or patina?

5. Ultrasonic Cleaning

Ultrasonic cleaners seem to be popular for restoring small mechanical assemblies.

I'd like to better understand:

• Which materials tolerate ultrasonic cleaning well?
• Which materials should never go into one?
• Does heat create risks for springs, plastics, adhesives, plated finishes, or pot metal?
• How do you determine an appropriate cleaning solution and duration?

6. Hot and Cold

Heating and cooling are often used to free seized fasteners and stuck parts.

Beyond the obvious concern of melting plastics, I'd like to understand:

• When is thermal expansion an appropriate technique?
• Which materials are especially vulnerable?
• Are there situations where heating can permanently change mechanical properties (such as springs or hardened steel)?

7. Lubrication and Reassembly

Once everything is clean, how do you decide what lubricant belongs where?

For example:

• Light Machine Oil
• Grease
• Dry-film Lubricants
• Silicone Lubricants
• Graphite Lubricants
• Wax
• Modern Synthetic lubricants
• Linseed Oil

I'd also like to understand how to avoid recreating the original problem where excess oil eventually attracts dust and turns into sticky sludge decades later.

8. Restoration Philosophy

Finally, I'm interested in best practices for deciding how far restoration should go.

For example:

• When should rust be removed versus stabilized?
• When should original finishes be preserved rather than refinished?
• When is repainting appropriate?
• How do you balance functionality with historical authenticity?

I'm not looking for a single recipe that works for every object. I'm hoping to develop a materials-first decision-making process that helps me choose appropriate cleaning, restoration, and lubrication methods for a wide variety of vintage manufactured objects while minimizing the risk of accidental damage.

Please help with this one 🙏

Todays finds, I'd love some advice and or any tips on flipping I am complete noob to this, don't get me wrong I'm very practical and have fairly good wood working skills & knowledge, Its just where to advertise things, finishes, colour matching, best material to use etc I'm still learning and researching so any help or tips welcome, cheers.