English oak (?) desk recovery

**Blackout** · 23rd April 2022, 08:34 PM

This is a desk I picked up on Friday and I've started the strip and unusually painting, The painting started to see if the stripping was working and worth continuing. I'm trialled stripping with a brass wire brush followed with compressed air. In starting the strip the old nail have been a challenege and needed slight pulling out and than reposition grab points as the nails break so easily. The nails are rusted so I think this desk have been for a swim. The condition of the ply wood top with separation of the ply would seem to indicate the same.
After stripping by brushing with brass wire brush and soft sanding I blasted with compressed air. Then I would apply methylated spirits to see if the original protective coating (shellac I think) was gone and the surface gets some cleaning.

Side orignal.jpg Front door open original.jpg Back original.jpg Front door close orignal.jpg
The painting has started and I'm reasonably happy with the door. I did manage to get the lock moving with RP-7.
Door painted.jpg Sid epainted.jpg
Not sure how to handle replacing the top ply wood and cover. I think I read they were actually cloth soaked in something (shellac?)
Appreciate any guidance. The original had nails driven through the top every 100mm.
First thoughts were to glue blocks to under side of new plywood for screwing to the original desk frame. This would allow future users to more easily take off.

Drawers are no shown at this time but the fronts are good with dove tails. There appears to have been work done before so I may have a bit of work to do.

Eventually the door handle has to be managed and it may be black paint unless someone has better idea. While one nail managed to come out the second one may be a challenge.

**Blackout** · 24th April 2022, 03:20 PM

Progressing

Drawer original.jpg Drawer painted.jpg Side painted 3D.jpg Front painted.jpg

**homey** · 29th April 2022, 07:29 PM

Nice little desk/table, Blackout - and a good save!

You could try masking around the drawer pulls then very very gently using a brass wire wheel in a Dremel to get the tarnish off. Or a Dremel cloth buffing wheel with some metal polish.

For the top you could consider ply faced with oak veneer (or similar). Is the top rebated into the piece. Alternatively you could buy a piece of glazed leather from a leather supplier such as Tandy Leather, glue that to the ply or MDF substrate, trim the edges and rebate into the table.

Looks good so far - looking forward to seeing the end result.

Regards,

Brian

**Blackout** · 1st May 2022, 07:33 PM

Progressing with my first cutting experience with white laminate. I discovered the inside of the table top is not square so there were challenges and several goes getting closer and closer to the right cut. I tried scoring the laminate and then increasing blade height to cut the laminate but finally settled on just cutting. No chipping of laminate. I had to set up a temporary fence to do the final gradual trims. This laminate will be glued onto plywood and the have final trims.

White top 2.jpg White top.jpg Tbale saw blade.jpg Saw table temp fence.jpg

**BobL** · 1st May 2022, 07:54 PM

Good job on the desk - well done.

For the handles I would wash them in detergent, rinse thoroughly and soak them in citric acid to remove the rust.
Once done Wash thoroughly and dry immediately with compressed air.

Then paint
OR
If you want a really traditional look I would apply multiple coats of tannic acid which will make them go an antique matt black.
Unfortunately this is friable so it needs to be sealed - you could use matt polyurethane spray
or for a super authentic finish
coat lightly with pale boiled linseed and hang in sun to dry - can take many days or even a week.
This shows the sort of finish this generates.
FinalBSvice.jpg.

**Blackout** · 1st May 2022, 10:13 PM

I definitely like what you have done there. The BLO is a great idea but I might try and see if I can match the original dark green colour.
Removing the handles is very risky. I have had one nail out but the next one was not moving

**BobL** · 2nd May 2022, 08:45 AM

I would try and see if you can get a wide thin bladed paint scraper down between the wood and the handles which will protect the wood. Then lever between the scraper and handle - if the base plates bend a little it doesn't mattter as you can alway panel beat them back into shape.

Restoring to the original colour is a good idea.

**Blackout** · 2nd May 2022, 09:33 PM

Agree and this is what I normally do and tried again this time. Unfortunately I have also experienced with this thin plates the metal actually tearing holes

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