Tweet
Forumites might wish to note that if you restore your vintage prop you are very likely to reduce its value, both in terms of money and also its value as a historical item.
If you intend to sell your prop, leave it exactly as it is. Don't even clean it.
If you intend to keep it and really really want to clean it, do so very carefully and sympathetically with gentle materials, then wax it with pure beeswax polish.
If the fabric is hanging off and there are splits in the wood, find an expert who can carefully conserve the prop. This means halting the decay of the prop without causing damage. It does not include repairing previous damage which is a valid and acceptable part of the life of the prop.
Don't clean it with harsh materials such as petrol, meths or sandpaper. Don't paint it. Don't restore it unless it is completely derelict. One way of protecting your prop from your desire to restore it, is to put off the process for a day at a time until the urge to restore goes away. Always bear in mind that an unrestored prop can always be restored in the future but a restored one can never be returned to its original condition.
With regards to everyone,
Bob
If you intend to sell your prop, leave it exactly as it is. Don't even clean it.
If you intend to keep it and really really want to clean it, do so very carefully and sympathetically with gentle materials, then wax it with pure beeswax polish.
If the fabric is hanging off and there are splits in the wood, find an expert who can carefully conserve the prop. This means halting the decay of the prop without causing damage. It does not include repairing previous damage which is a valid and acceptable part of the life of the prop.
Don't clean it with harsh materials such as petrol, meths or sandpaper. Don't paint it. Don't restore it unless it is completely derelict. One way of protecting your prop from your desire to restore it, is to put off the process for a day at a time until the urge to restore goes away. Always bear in mind that an unrestored prop can always be restored in the future but a restored one can never be returned to its original condition.
With regards to everyone,
Bob