Years ago I sent an antique cast iron cookstove off to a very well-known stove restoration business in Maine, mainly to have it converted back to wood from kerosene. To my dismay, it came back sandblasted: grayish and roughened. I applied several coats of old-fashioned stove polish/blacking, and after a few years it's regained a pretty decent black finish. It was nice to know the stove was sturdy and safe to use--and the nickel trim had all been beautifully replated--but I missed the irreplaceable smooth black patina that only comes with many years of use. I'm wondering if this treatment is standard when a stove is "reconditioned." Would be curious to hear from other readers.
Stove "Restoration" Included Sandblasting Off Patina
- Thread starter Nothing Like Wood
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Well I have no insight in stove restoration but do in the automotive restoration end. Unless otherwise specified "reconditioned" usually means make it as new as possible. Its like someone dropping a car off to get restored....new chrome, new mechanicals, fix problems, etc.....but don't repaint it! This isn't usually the case.
If you wanted the original petina you probably should have told them to replate the shiny bits, fix any problems, convert back to wood....and thats it. Sounds to me like they reconditioned the stove just like you asked! Although I'd expect a "reconditioned" stove to be painted as well, not returned as bare metal.
BTW...I'm jealous. Show us a picture of this thing!
If you wanted the original petina you probably should have told them to replate the shiny bits, fix any problems, convert back to wood....and thats it. Sounds to me like they reconditioned the stove just like you asked! Although I'd expect a "reconditioned" stove to be painted as well, not returned as bare metal.
BTW...I'm jealous. Show us a picture of this thing!
If for daily use then yes a new coat of paint, if for value then it should be kept as much original as possible.
On second thought, I think it had "dark gray" paint on it; I don't remember if I was asked what color paint to put on it -- maybe they thought the gray looked more like the original? Do you know what finish the stoves had on them when they were originally sold? Did they look like new cast-iron skillets and only assumed the smooth black lustre after being used and repeatedly "blacked" at home? The slightly roughened surface from the sandblasting was what really bothered me, because it made it look "raw." You make a good point, though, about restoration. Thanks for the insight.
As I mentioned in other reply, I think I was mistaken and that the stove was painted, but a dark gray rather than black, which didn't have the "look" I was expecting. BTW, I'm cleaning it up to sell it if you're interested! I'll post pictures once I get the Vaseline off that I used to prevent rust! I hope metal polish will shine up the nickel; it did deteriorate a bit during storage. Thanks for your insights into restoration; live and learn.
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