You're likely to get a faster answer if you ask over at the Victorian Sweatshop forum, link is in a post above.

Cari

You'll need a picture, too. Is it rust or dried up powdered shellac?

Sure looks like rust to me. Reddish brown and the paint is falling of all around the edges. Hopefully you can see it in this pic. Lighting is an issue. Let me know if not and I will se what I can do.

I would adore seeing video of the french polishing method. I have a hard time following written instructions. Someday I hope you or another restoration guru will make videos of this work. :)

Glen,
Great job and wonderful directions.
I have a model 101 portable (circa May 22, 1922), a model 99 portable (circa Sept 23, 1930), a model 99-10 commercial (circa Jan. 29, 1931), model 15 console (circa Sept 5, 1935) and a model 221-1 featherweight (circa April 20, 1948).
These are just the older ones in my collection and I use them all the time and keep them in great working order. They are in fairly good cosmetic condition.
I would like to use your great suggestions to do some "touch ups" on all of them.
If alive, my grandmother, oldest aunt (Adele), Billy's mother (Betty), Mrs. Prodan and the unknown owner of the 101 would probably be very grateful.
I am grateful.
Good luck,
David Zane Fleisher

Thank you David. I am now on mostly The VSS http://www.victoriansweatshop.com/?forum=501752 Please come an enjoy this group. We have a lot of knowledge on these old machines here.

Thanks Glen, great details and instructions. Just picked up a White treadle and I'm anxious to get it cleaned up. Then I want to sew on it! Got to find a manual, I'm new at this. I have a 1943 Kenmore that I love but this treadle is a whole new ball game and I'm ready to play!

Is there some how I could print off all this information? I have an old german machine to work on and would love to have a printoff of all this.

I think if you right click you will be able to save or print.

I just purchased a Singer 128 with the Crinkle/Blackside finish for $15. It resided in South Texas near the coast and it has rust showing through in places of the crinkle finish. What would be the best way to clean it up since it doesn't have the shellac finish? It mostly looks like surface rust and the rust isn't bubbly (thankfully). The slide plates and face plate are also black (not silver), would I put those in Evapo-Rust? I would like to restore her as all her parts move although the veneer is missing from both ends of the bentwood case. Thanks so much for any help!