gold on featherweight
 

I was blessed to finally get my featherweight at an estate sale. It's a 1943 and has seen little use. It's almost in pristine condition with all the gold on the bed of the machine. My question is, how do I keep it that way? I read on a restorer site that I should use paste wax. Is that right? I wondered why I couldn't use clear nail polish but decided to get the opinion of you experts. What should I do? Thanks in advance. Joan

I'll let others with more knowledge tell you how to keep them, but as for clear nail polish I wouldn't go that route. First, I don't know if the polish itself will actually damage the varnish and then the gold ... but the biggest problem I see is applying it in smooth even coat.

I'd just use sewing machine oil and a soft cloth...the decals are protected by shellac so unless there is physical abrasion, or exposure to direct sun, or moisture, it will do fine. Keep in a dry place..

I can do that. Thank you!

Congrats on your find!

i have purchased two featherweights over the last two years in their orginial cases...the cases always carry a smell..so here is my solutation...make a coffee sache out of unused coffe and hang in case...i like hazelnut because it smells great when i open the case and remove the machine at sew-ins...you can also place one of the round pre-filled coffee in the filter pouches inside...that will also work...from my heart to yours...enjoy your machine and put it to use...they work and will last forever...

Thank you for the advice. The case has no smell. As soon as I checked that, I said "sold". But, your solution is awesome. I was quite lucky.

The "gold" is just decals and they have a clear coat (shellac) over it. Most of the vintage machines you see that have decal loss, it is on the bed where fabric rubbed through the clear coat off and then began to wear the decals. My purple repaint Featherweight got new decals and has a tough automotive clear coat over. I don't think I need to worry much about wearing through that.

I do use regular paste turtle wax on my original black 1950 Featherweight. It makes it nice and shiny and the fabric slides nicely over it. Other prople have their favorite products. I have read about one called TR-3 resin glaze that makes it very shinny and is very tough. I haven't tried that one yet.

Thanks for posting the question. Helpful to know!

Have you seen the Nova Montgomery website? She has a Tip of the Month about care, maintenance, cleaning and repair of Featherweights. Lots of good information.