RE: Antique Improver

Martin O'Brien writes:

Bob R and Groop,
    
Answers to your questions:

Q:  If cleaning the piece works as well when using mineral spirits 
or Kramer's Blemish Remover , why use the Blemish Remover? 
-- it costs much more, it must work better than MS, at least in 
other cleaning applications anyways.

A:  The Blemish Remover has alcohol in it so it will do a better job 
of removing dirt than Mineral Spirits.  This is one difference.  
Because of the alcohol, it softens or "bites into" some finishes 
better than Mineral Spirits.  Sometimes you want this, other times 
you don't.  Because of its power and expense, I use it sparingly.


Q:  I read the directions on his web site to try to understand what 
the stuff does, Why the wait? one week? I know good things are 
worth waiting for but is it because the stuff is "curing"

A:  I think Kramer's Antique Improver acts similar to wax in that you get 
better results from wax by waiting longer to buff out.  Five years ago, I 
wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between waiting five minutes 
or five hours before buffing out, but experience teaches you the micro 
differences that most people can't see or feel.  What I generally do is 
apply the Improver to an entire piece, let it sit for about five minutes like 
the instructions say and then remove excess.  The primary reason I go 
back after a few days with a cloth is that I don't want any oily or greasy 
feeling whatsoever.  The secondary reason is a "chicken soup" type reason 
being that it can't hurt and sometimes it seems (again a micro difference) 
to help.


Q:  Does it really look better when you rub it out?

A:  Refer to above answer.  I'm just wiping away any greasiness, 
not rubbing out in the sense of rubbing out a film of lacquer or varnish.

Q:  I know by Mr. Kraemer's reply to my message that he is very well 
spoken in regard to restoration methods, but I'm just such a sceptic 
when it comes to "restorer in a jar" products.

A:  I too am a sceptic and I remain sceptical of this product probably 
because I don't know what's in it.  My guess is that it's much more 
complex than paste wax. I'm attracted though to the unknown and the 
mystery of the alchemist/apothecary. My attraction is almost always 
controlled by the scepticism of "restorer in a jar" products.  If it's too 
good to be true, it probably is.  I don't rely on Kramer's products for 
everything, they're just part of my "bag of tricks."

I encourage 'sperimentin'.

MartinO

P.S.  I've run across and used (although less extensively) 
lots of "restorer in a jar" products.  
Yikes, do we want to open that can of snake oil?






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