Need help with Treadle
 

If this has been asked before could someone please point me in the right direction before I get started??! I have been very blessed to receive my Great Aunt's Davis Vertical Feed treadle sewing machine which I will cherish and hopefully do a little sewing on! I am checking out all the videos on cleaning and oiling the machine, but I am very concerned about the surface of the machine. I am attaching a few pictures to show the bubbling that I am referring to. I know it is very dirty as it has been in the back of storage more years that I can count. Will this clean down to a smoother surface, do I scrape this off or will it leave a flat block surface? I do not want to lose the beautiful decals that are left. What causes the finish to bubble like this? Any help or suggestions? What to use??? Thanks so very much.

Hi,

The roughness in finish to the clearcoat is a common to the Davis "NVF". Personally, I'd clean with sewing machine oil and soft cotton rag or cotton balls and leave as is. Sort of reminds me of the crinkle finish Singers and has a "antique" texture to it. Whether the finish to the bed can be reamalgamated I can't comment on.



Jon

Please don't scrape it as its beautiful as it is. These old machines have earned the right to have a few bumps and blemishes.