Glenn

I agree with Steve that a good restoration will not devalue a sewing machine as he said we are not willing to pay much for them anyway and no one is except the ones that don't know. That being said we admit they are not worth much, this not an investment we sew with them and just like the way they look. People become so sentimental about their grandma's 1916 Red Eye they try to sell them for 500 to 1000 but in the antique business sentimental has no value. when I was still restoring antiques we repaired what was broken using the old methods of construction with old tools. the we repaired the the old finish that was bad using the same techniques and materials of the period of the piece, waxed the thing and stopped. By law we had to state what had been done but then again these valuble peices were based on a prestine piece with out any work and was for the true collector. I think it is perfectly fine to restore and old sewing machine as for as you want to go. Most of them come to us in sad shape or so dirty we have to clean them before they will move at all and then the pin rash and such. I say restore repaint the bad spots, repair the stencils if you can and sew with them. If it needs a complete repaint go for it. If you like them just cleaned repaired and sewing then that is perfectly alright to. If you restore just learn the correct techniques to do this restoration and you will be much happier with the results, remember you don't have to be perfect just do the best you can.