Oldgas.com Home  

Click here for Petro Porcelain Sign auction listings


Home | Help | Events | Auctions | Parts | Pictures | Links | Contact
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 686
Petro Enthusiast
OP Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 686
I recently was able to track down a store that carried Bar Keeper's Friend Porcelain cleaner. I used it with amazing success on a supertest tin sign and an an old Bell Telephone porcelain sign. So, earlier this evening I decided to try it on one of my 8 ft x 2 ft Goodyear tire signs. They were already in nice condition but thought I would clean them with bar keeper's friend and then hit them with Mequires wax. The cleaning went well and I let them dry. They looked excellent and still had their day one shine. I then applied the wax. After applying the wax and attempting to shine it up, the sign has become a very very dull royal blue color, with no lustre at all left on the sign. I tried washing them again with BKF to see if the wax was the issue but I cannot get it back to the original lustre the sign had before began this cleaning.

Has anyone run into this issue before..if so what did you do to remedy the situation. Only thing I can think of is to apply a rubbing comound, experts opinions very welcomed!


Colin Latreille
Always looking for Quality Canadian Oil & Gas & Ford Signs
Please use For Sale forums to sell

Please - NO offers to Buy or Sell in this forum category

Statements such as, "I'm thinking about selling this." are considered an offer to sell.
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,110
Likes: 1
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,110
Likes: 1
IF THIS WAXY FILM YOU SPEAK OF IS ON A PORCELAIN SIGN, THEN JUST USE LACQUER THINNER. THAT SHOULD BREAK DOWN AND REMOVE THE WAX LEFT BEHIND. USE IT LIBERALLY AND LET IT WORK. USE AN OLD COTTON SHEET OR T-SHIRT.


DOC @ THE AMERICAN GARAGE
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 686
Petro Enthusiast
OP Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 686
I will try that. Since I wrote this, I tried some spray on paint stripper on a small section but that didn't make any noticeable difference. I will try some thinner this weekend....Thanks Doc.


Colin Latreille
Always looking for Quality Canadian Oil & Gas & Ford Signs
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 105
R
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
R
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 105
Maybe a buffer would work????

Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,242
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,242
What kind of wax was it?

If the lacquer thinner does not work, you might try some wax stripper (from an auto parts store) that's normally used to strip the wax off of a car before rewaxing.

Wes

Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 686
Petro Enthusiast
OP Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 686
tried a buffer..didn't work. I will get some wax stripper. However I would have thought the paint stripper would have done what wax stripper would do. But I will try any suggestions. Thanks for suggestions


Colin Latreille
Always looking for Quality Canadian Oil & Gas & Ford Signs
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,050
Likes: 4
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,050
Likes: 4
I have heard that some of the blue porcelain does not hold up to good to the elements or to certain cleaners. When I get a new sign, I hit it with a coat of wax to clean/ polish it up and let it go at that. Some people use all kinds of different cleaners or acid to get off stains. A lot of signs will clean up better with these cleaners but I have heard that sometimes certain blue porcelain will not stand up to the chemicals. Hope yours does.


US Air Force Retired, 1981-2007
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 950
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 950
Colin, I'm very interested to hear how this works out for you as I will be cleaning a rough Goodyear sign and the last thing it needs is to be helped along. Good luck.


........Dave
___________________________________________________
Looking for old, rare, auto light bulb tins
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 6,772
Likes: 1
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 6,772
Likes: 1
Use very fine white polishing compound, not the reddish rubbing compound. Apply the compound, then hit it with your buffer.
Apply paste car wax. Let it dry. Hit it with your buffer and your sign should look good as new.


Wanted: Gas pump globes:Sinclair & affiliates, IL companies. Ripple bodies. Anything Sinclair, Stoll, Pierce, 4 Bros.


http://www.lastgas15.com/
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 9,346
G
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
G
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 9,346
Dish soap will also remove the wax from the sign. It is also the cheapest way to do it. It also works on removing the wax from your cars or trucks smile


Wanted Owens Motor Oil & Mobiloil Gargoyle.
Brad Ralston & my website is
www.petrobarn.com
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 686
Petro Enthusiast
OP Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 686
Thanks for all the suggestions but I think Wes, (unfortunately) may be right. I have tried all the suggestions and nothing restores it to the original lustre. I an sure though that if I was to varnish the sign it would make it look much better than it's current state. Is this something that can be done to Porcelain signs? has anyone tried it ? how does it hold up over time?


Colin Latreille
Always looking for Quality Canadian Oil & Gas & Ford Signs
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 950
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 950
I've seen very blonde shellac (orange shellac will tinge the original colors) used but it needs to applied with a sponge like applicator and I would suggest a thin cut. How it's looked upon or how it's longevity is rated, I couldn't answer either one.

Sorry to hear things didn't work out so well.

Last edited by lordparaffin; Sun May 10 2009 04:52 PM.

........Dave
___________________________________________________
Looking for old, rare, auto light bulb tins
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 539
Likes: 2
R
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
R
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 539
Likes: 2
When you applied the Barkeep friend what did you use to apply it with? Sounds like the sign got scuffed by a fine scuff pad or steel wool? If it did that would explain the dull finish. Just a thought.


ROD [Mich.]
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 686
Petro Enthusiast
OP Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 686
I used the finest steel wool you can get. I had read many posts stating you cannot harm a porcelain finish with this. as I stated I cleaned another sign - a Bell telephone blue flange sign with steel wool and a painted tin supertest sign with BKF and steel wool and it did not scuff the finish of the Bell sign, nor did it scratch the painted tin. I think you are right the steel wool may have contributed to this, but what is different about this porcelain that caused this?


Colin Latreille
Always looking for Quality Canadian Oil & Gas & Ford Signs
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,565
Likes: 451
R
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
R
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,565
Likes: 451
I would warn anyone against using Barkeepers Friend on porcelain signs. I believe it contains an acid in its ingredients and it says on the label that it may harm old porcelain.
Good luck with your sign Colin, I hope you can bring it back.


Looking for photos, etc from 60s era Shell-A-Rama gas station and Pal's Diner, Rt. 17 Mahwah, NJ
& US or state highway signs, shields, route markers
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Moderated by  Oldgas, Ryan Underthun 

Link Copied to Clipboard

Click here for Gas Pump auction listings

Copyright © 2023 Primarily Petroliana Interactive, All Rights Reserved

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5