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Unpopular opinion: I used to think you had to sand down to bare wood for every repair
I was fixing a 1920s oak dresser from a shop in Boise and the client didn't want a full strip, just a spot fix on a deep scratch. Out of pure laziness, I tried using a tiny brush and Mohawk's Ultra Classic toner, building it up in layers right over the old finish after a light scuff. It blended perfectly and saved me like three hours of sanding. Anyone have other good tricks for hiding damage without a full redo?
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paul_webb455mo ago
I read somewhere that a lot of the old school cabinetmakers used to keep a jar of their own "finish sauce" made from shellac flakes and denatured alcohol, just for this kind of thing. They'd dab it on over the old finish to melt everything back together and hide the scratch. I tried it on a beat up mahogany table from the 40s once after hearing that tip, just a light wipe with a cloth dipped in a thin shellac mix, and it leveled out the whole top without stripping anything. It's kind of like using a heat gun to reactivate the original lacquer on old stuff, but without the risk of scorching the wood. The walnut trick works for a day or two but doesn't bond with the finish like the shellac does.
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james_martin936mo ago
Reminds me of a guy who used a walnut to fix a scratch on his coffee table. Not even kidding, he just rubbed the meat of a walnut into the mark. It worked for about a week until his dog ate that part of the table. I've had decent luck with those wax filler sticks on minor stuff, but they can get gummy if it's near a heat source.
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