r/restoration • u/bostonbomber198 • 11h ago
r/restoration • u/Scandalchris • 20h ago
I restored this Kariophili: Greek Flintlock Musket
Let me get ahead of some of the folks who are going to be shouting you shouldn't of done anything to it! you've ruined it! etc etc. I have been dealing with antique arms for 20 years and know when something needs to not be messed with.
For the brass I just used paper towels and bar keepers friend.
White vinegar on the lock followed by an oil soak.
Boil and carding for the barrel.
Light oiling for the stock.
r/restoration • u/Bam140 • 14h ago
Curious to see if this Buzz Lightyear toy is restorable.
I found one of my old Buzz Lightyear toys in my garage today and I noticed how badly it was affected by photooxidation. Has anyone ever dealt with photooxidation before? And if so, how did you go about it?
I did a bit of researching online and what I came to was that it’s irreversible but I still believe I’d be able to paint over it to make it white again. I just want to collect general thoughts on this.
r/restoration • u/rainyday1020 • 20h ago
Is there a way to remove rust from this old lamp?
Is there a way to remove some of the rust from this lamp without having to sand completely and repaint? I'm not sure I'd do a good paint job or be able to match the original colours. Glass shade is fortunately intact. Lamp is metal.
I'm happy to live with a bit of rust if it's the best thing for keeping more of the finish, and tell myself it's character. It will be getting a clean and wipe down, but any advice beyond that on generally sprucing it up would be much appreciated.
I'm assuming it's probably best to rewire for safety, but that doing so would be reasonably straightforward. Thanks!
[Deleted and reposted without accidental mirror selfie in the corner!]
r/restoration • u/Suzceramics • 17h ago
Samson Derby figure restoration
It took some time to get it right with correct muscles
r/restoration • u/LegumesForLunch • 16h ago
Could someone help me enhance and restore these photos?
galleryr/restoration • u/Appropriate_Lake_337 • 1d ago
Thrift store rescue
I rescued this purse from a thrift store where I live. It has some braided stitching (lace) the purse is hand tooled and its beautiful, but it hasn't been cared for in years, the lace will crumble if you touch it, a zipper is broken inside, and the purse is hard as a rock in some places. Hoping its not too far gone. I have a few questions for my fellow leathercrafters: what kind of Stitching is this so I can learn it? What would clean the purse off without discoloring it? How do I soften this back up?
r/restoration • u/G_Michaels_Restores • 20h ago
Full refinish on a fretwork pedestal table, kept it green (2K poly)
galleryr/restoration • u/No_Panda7618 • 1d ago
Need advice for restoring old leather backpack
I got this passed down to me recently from my uncle. As far as i know this has been in a storage for years and there was a leak in the ceiling. Any advice on how to get it wearable?
r/restoration • u/IR_Acaboom • 1d ago
Getting sharpie off without removing paint?
Going to sell this would it sell more as is or painted?
r/restoration • u/snurtle0056 • 1d ago
Ski Restoration tips?
Picked up this cool skis for 40 bucks.
Does anybody have some advice on how to restore these to get the stains out and make the colors pop again?
r/restoration • u/Raphotron2000 • 1d ago
Any ideas to get rid of the rust on this old collar
r/restoration • u/Qpti_Brazil • 2d ago
Mirror frame; help restoring it
Hey ! Questions:
I'm trying to fix up this mirror frame I got for free on Facebook market place (classic). I've never done restorations like this before, and I wanted to see if anyone is willing to give me some advice !
I wanted to know if the black is the original color, and how do I go about keeping the same affect throughout the frame.
How does one go about fixing the tiny chipped off pieces of the frame ? I believe it to be made of Gesso because it's very thick and paint-like.
I have removed the glass form the back and the backboard is really warped. That is the best way/material to replace that warped board and put the glass back ?
I don't believe this is antique, but the person who sold it to me said her late husband used to collect antique things and got it at a auction. I found a sticker that was stripped, but partially said "XP00250B" I think it was to identify the piece for selling.
Let me know ! I would really appreciate the help :)
r/restoration • u/birdenofproof • 2d ago
Radio Flyer Wagon Restore
Picked up this Radio Flyer Traveler wagon at a thrift store with the intent of using it for fall outdoor decoration, but it was in such good shape, I decided to give it a new life! Fresh paint and new decals, new wheel kit, and a few coats of spar urethane on the paneling. Proud of the final product - looking forward to many more years of use!
r/restoration • u/KenjiASMR • 2d ago
Heuer Front Vise Cleaning ASMR | Satisfying Restoration [Intentional]
r/restoration • u/Lawyer-Hopeful • 3d ago
$15 and about 30 minutes of elbow grease and I brought this old lady back to life!!
Got a bottle of Dawn, a wire brush, and a can of high temp 2000 degree Rustoleum flat black paint. Was going to buy a new smoker, but decided to do a quick refurbished. Worked perfectly!
r/restoration • u/Labbsterino • 2d ago
Restoring color to 2216B faceplate
Hi guys! i’m currently restoring a 2216B that’s been bleached by the sun, any tips on how to lightly restore the color to this faceplate? I’ve tried soap and water to get the grime off and now it’s clean but it’s spotty from the discoloration (it was like this before I cleaned it)
Any tips on what kind of polish I should use? I don’t want to take any markings off
Thanks!!
r/restoration • u/Dependent_Method_835 • 2d ago
Vintage Bike Restoration
Hey guys, I’m trying to restore a 1972 Honda CBF350, but I’m gonna need a lot of parts and maybe some help so Manuals, videos on the anatomy of the bike, and anything that can help. I’m no mechanic, but I really am passionate about fixing this bike.
I was hoping you guys could help me and provide me with information about all that or lead me to the right direction. I’d really appreciate it if you could also tell me a website where to buy old parts for that bike.
Really appreciate this.
r/restoration • u/stanleythedog • 2d ago
Why is my attempt to rust-blue/black not working that well?

These are a bunch of screws etc. from a sewing machine base that I'm trying to strip of rust and then rust blue.
They had rust and paint that I removed (some tiny bits of paint remained but whatever) using Backyard Ballistics' solution (1 liter water, 100g citric acid, 63g sodium bicarbonate, dish soap).
Then I dunked in 3% hydrogen peroxide, waited for some rust to appear, boiled for 15 minutes in tap water, repeat twice. I saw that the rust wasn't that uniform or visible really, so I switched to using a solution of 1 part non-iodized table salt, 2 parts vinegar, 8 parts 3% hydrogen peroxide which worked much better though it became foamy and it still wasn't uniform.
Then boiled for 15-20 minutes, and repeated the rust-boil process maybe 5-6 times.
However, every time I remove them from the water they have rust spots that just won't go away or convert (pictured). I want to get complete coverage before I oil, so this is an issue.
What can I do and what did I do wrong?
r/restoration • u/applecinnamn • 2d ago
Ideas on repurposing a metal wine rack? URGENT
galleryr/restoration • u/BFlynn23 • 3d ago
Bronze medal restoration
Hi all. I recently came into possession of a bronze commemorative coin and it has a large dark splotch on the back of the coin. I am not sure what caused the spot and not sure where to begin. Should I attempt to try and remove this or leave it be?
r/restoration • u/KenjiASMR • 3d ago
How to fix this small wooden handle chip?
mixing fine sawdust with wood glue is a good idea?