BLACK SLATE CLOCKS

[Peter Southwell]

Does anyone have information about the restoration of the shine to black
slate clocks that have become dull? This must be a widespread and common
problem,so maybe the restoration techniques are well known,possibly even
published somewhere.Maybe part of the technique of restoration depends on
why these clocks lost their polish in the first place.My guess is the
use/misuse of furniture polish.Failing better advice,I am going to try
thinned down polyurethane varnish,in repeated applications.Black slate has
proved very absorbent.I have experimented with black shoe polish with
mediochre (but fair) results.Black dyes also help.But its hard to tell
whether what shine there is will be absorbed and disappear.Or should one be
thinking along completely different lines e.g.of fine grinding/polishing
techniques.Maybe I should contact a tombstone maker! Another problem is the
restoration/replacement of the gold (leaf?) in the decorative engraving
found on these clocks.For any kind replies,my E-Mail address is
pe...@psouthwell.fsnet.co.uk

[Peter Southwell]

[Watchmender]

See the method on my web site which has proved useful for me for some
time.

SC

In article <8048hj$hpk$1...@news5.svr.pol.co.uk>, Peter Southwell
<Pe...@psouthwell.fsnet.co.uk> writes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sylvester Crowley - The Watchmender - Wales - United Kingdom
Watches, Antique Clocks & Barometers : Repaired/Restored Bought Sold
* Data Protection Act(1984) Registration Number: M 0647 11 6
* Affiliations: BHI(#8444) : AWI(#25602) : BWCMG(#C509) : BWCCA(#0348)
* Web Site A : http://www.watchmender.demon.co.uk/
* Web Site B : http://www.crowleyclocks.ukgateway.net/
* Web Site C : http://users.tinyonline.co.uk/hrswalesuk/
* Fax Number : (+44) 0 870 054 7529
######################################################################
* Discussion Forum: Send E.Mail to: HRSWALESUK...@listbot.com
######################################################################

[Mark]

Try www.horology.com

There is a nice bit on polishing slate in there.

- Raw linseed oil works well, put it on,let it soak in for a week then buff
it up
I have used this a few times with great success.

The old method is to put the clock case in the oven and warm it, then rub
wax over it and polish.
-thats really risky, sometimes the case can crack!

Mark

[Steve Thompson]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the material
isn't slate, but is a coloured form of
limestone. If that's right, it might affect
the way you choose cleaning materials.

I'd be interested if anyone can confirm that.

My grandmother used old fashioned boot polish
on
hers for many years - I have it now and it
looks ok with nothing but dusting.

Steve

[chris edwards]

A a geologist-turned-horolgist I can confirm that the material that
lots of the black marble/slate (whatever you call it) is in fact a
black or grey fine-grained limestone of Carboniferous age (about 350
million years old) and (in Europe at least) most likely to have come
from the Carboniferous formations in Belgium (and possibly NE France).
Carboniferous because lots of teh coal comes from rocks of this age.
In the US the equivalent would be the Pennsylvanian/Mississippian

Chris the Clock and Rock Doctor!

[Watchmender]

"Slate/Marble" Clock Cases.......

For details of the method I have developed over some years please see
the section on my web site under the section TECHNIQUES & ADVICE

http://www.watchmender.demon.co.uk/

This section has been up-dated during the last week.

SC

====================

use In article <382c984...@news.clara.net>, chris edwards
<cwed...@clara.net> writes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Steve Thompson]

Yes, I did have a read of it. Given that old
style polish is wax and turpentine or white
spirit, it made me think that gran's
technique wasn't as daft as it appeared, not
that I'm recommending it....

Steve

Watchmender wrote in message ...

[Watchmender]

The link to my site as well as other methods for Slate/Marble
restoration can be found on the BHI site it you want to see some
alternatives.

SC

In article <942480346.22768.0...@news.demon.co.uk>, Steve
Thompson <st...@txrx.demon.co.uk> writes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Marilyn Bellotti]

I've used shoe polish on many marble clocks. It works wonderfully. THe trick
is to put it on in very thin coats and buff in between.

Steve Thompson <st...@txrx.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:942480346.22768.0...@news.demon.co.uk...

[sand....@ntlworld.com]

I cleaned mine with olive oil and it looks great .