sewbeadit

I have my Wilcox and Gibbs home and I need to clean it up a bit, not much but a bit. I have dusted it and oiled it, not that you can see in the pics, but it is. I just need to know if I can get these parts clean with kerosene and if it is okay to use it on them. I have used sewing machine oil but this is what is left.

I love this machine it came with a lot of extras and is in very good condition to great condition in its original cabinet that is in really good shape, I just can't quit looking at it, I never thought I would ever find one I could afford to buy! I want to clean it up right. All the irons have original paint etc.

Any help would be great. I am limited to what I can use for cleaning because of asthma and bad hands so has to be a fairly easy duty thing.[ATTACH=CONFIG]531493[/ATTACH] I also need to ask if I should take apart the feed dog area to clean, I did clean the dust and oiled it and it looks good but didn't know if there is more I should do there. This machine looks like it hasn't been used much but has been sitting for many years, so is oil enough there?[ATTACH=CONFIG]531494[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]531495[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]531496[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]531497[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]531498[/ATTACH]Thanks for the help. I know there is a cleaning thread on here, but just thought a quick question and some pics would be nice.

Tiggersmom

I don't know the answer but it's a great looking machine.

Rodney

It is a neat little machine. It looks like it's in really good shape too. I haven't been fortunate enough to see one in person yet. I'm thinking I'd have a hard time not looking at it too.
I'm not sure how much is wear or corrosion or just gunk but kerosene is certainly safe for cleaning the shiny bits like the table. I know the old manuals recommended it for cleaning dried oil inside the machines but I've never tried it myself and can't say how safe it is for your decals.
Rodney

cathyvv

Please make sure to clean with kerosene out doors (not a windy day) on a non-flammable surface. When i was a child I saw the results of a fire started with kerosene.

Not pretty.

Mickey2

Kerosene will probably damage varnish on the wood. There are better products for wood, even home made ones. I don't dare clean the japanned parts in kerosene, there are stories of those who soak old machines it in over night and have success, but there are the cases where the old paint has been totally damaged by the treatment. Maybe there's a way to check in advance if it can handle the treatment? It looks like it's in very good condition. I doubt you gain much by cleaing with kerosene. The shiny metal parts can be cleaned with something like Autosol or Quick-Glo, they are very nice for metal parts. A gentle wipe off might be all it needs. Overzealous cleaning has been harsh on many old machines, and it's not something you can undo.

miriam

There is a sticky with good info at the top of the vintage section here is a link:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...v-t167789.html
Glenn also has info on his sticky about the care of the finish for the old black sewing machines especially the decals. While yours does NOT need any shellac or French polish work you might like to look at what Glenn says about taking care of the decals before you go cleaning anything.
You can clean up the shiny parts by removing them one at a time from the machine - they can be cleaned with about anything that will cut oil, then they must be totally dried off before reinstalling them.
I used kerosene when I first started cleaning up old machines - it does have it's own issues. I also used some 3 in 1 oil and some WD40 all gone from my shelves now though. Not happening anymore.

SteveH

I would suggest proceeding with the approach used by doctors... First, do no harm. Second, least invasive first.

Use sewing machine oil on a microfiber cloth for all of the painted areas.

If you can handle it, I would use the Oil with steel wool (the "super fine" or "0000" variety) with on all of the metal bits (only the metal)

if you REALLY have a stubborn rusty spot I recommend using Brasso with the steel wool, but it does have fumes as well, so use caution.

sewbeadit

Gosh, thank you all for the help, everyone had a good hint for me and that is what I needed so much. I have kerosene here but have never used it but thought if it was okay I would try it, so I am out on that one, don't know if I could breath it anyway, I think SteveH "do no harm" is the approach I want to take so will try the super fine steel wool and some oil first and just give that a try. It is truly in great condition.

How about taking the feed dog area apart, do I need to do that, I don't see anything there and it is moving really nicely, but didn't know if I should.

Thanks again for your great suggestions. I had no clue how to proceed. When I manage to clean her up (he)? I will put up a pic. I don't plan on doing any more than sewing machine oil on the black, don't want to goof up the decals, that part is already really nice with the oil.

SteveH

for feed dogs and the like I use Q-tip wrapped with a little steel wool and oil. just make sure to get all of the steel wool bits out afterwards. I use more oil to flush it clean afterwards. (I buy Sewing Machine oil in quarts from my local OSMG, cheaper that way)

sewbeadit

I proceeded with oil and fine steel wool and got most of it cleaned up. I didn't take anything apart. I think I will leave it like it is until I get some polish for the fabric plate. I like it the way it is now so who knows. Some of the tiny pits wouldn't come off of the fabric plate, don't really know if they all will come off or if it is deep pitting. Thank you Steve on the feed dogs, I did clean and oil, didn't need the steel wool, I am just so glad it didn't take that much to clean it up to good. It isn't shiny perfect, that would have to be up to someone that can give it a spa treatment. I love it tho as she/he is, I haven't decided on that yet, I don't name machines but I might this one.

I got all of the cobwebs and dust off of most of the irons, still need to clean those. The paint on them is awesome. Will get a pic when all is done, probably look like the beginning ones but not so much dust at least. OOps, almost forgot, the stop ball on the treadle is totally brittle and I know when I start using it it will fall apart, is there somewhere to find those? It is really all cracked up and much smaller, I think than it used to be. I got the irons oiled and they work so smoothly now, just wonderful and quiet.

Oh yes. The belt broke,lol, I kept it for length, can I replace it with a regular treadle belt or does any one know if it takes something special? I noticed the end actually has a brass tube squished on it instead of the usual to me staple, can I use a staple on this machine? I also have no clue about the needles. I have some in a box that came with it that are Wilcox and gibbs, but I need to know what to buy that is manufactured now if there are any. There was no number on the box or in the manual for needles. Hope that isn't too darn hard to figure out. Thanks all.