Originally Posted by BoJangles
Wow, Miz Johnny you do have some beautiful machines! Did you really find that snake skin head in a treadle? That would freak me out!
Your National before and after pictures are really amazing!
Nancy
I found the snake skin in a box with a treadle head I bought from my friend Diane in Tennessee. The head had been in a storage building by the lake she lives on, and the snake must have crawled in there to shed it's skin!!
The National pictured was cleaned with GoJo (no pumice) and waxed with Armour All; using 3 coats and letting it dry completely between coats. I have never had any trouble using GoJo on heads, but obviously, I am careful when cleaning. The first machine I cleaned up, a Red Eye (and unfortunately, a family machine) had a bit of decal damage, as I used some water on it. Not a good choice, and I never tried that again--but that was back before I knew how to go about it. I do believe that more damage is caused by aggressive cleaning than the cleaners themselves.
I also think there's more than one "good" way to clean, so if you have one and it works, then use it!! TR 3 is a good cleaner/polisher, but to me it takes forever. I have used it on more modern machines (from the 40s and 50s) with great results. Harry Berzack's curator uses a spray foam on all of the machines. I can't remember the name right off hand, but it makes most of us gasp. He says he has no trouble with it, though!!
Carter Bays doesn't clean his at all. His machines are complete with original spider webs. They aren't used, so I guess that makes sense. Whatever works.