When you do this, the machine will transform into a beautiful black color and shine. It is not a thick application of oil you are looking for… just a film.
Apply the linseed oil to a cotton ball and apply it in gentle even strokes (back and forth or side to side). Linseed oil is completely compatible with the original finish on the machine and will nourish and help protect it. The next step is to coat the machine with boiled linseed oil. Repeat this process until the cotton ball is no longer picking up dissolved grime. When the GoJo shows brown, wipe it off with cotton balls. Once the decal are as clean they can be, or stand being, clean the rest of the body of the machine with GoJo, Avoiding the decals, apply GoJo to the machine with your finger and gently rub in small circles. If you notice any glitter, paint, or see any decal loss, stop. During each repetition of the process, keep a constant eye on the decal and the cotton swab to make sure the decal is not lifting. Remember, GoJo is really a gentle solvent, it does not work fast, and it does not dissolve all of the dirt and grime quickly. Repeat the process, and then repeat it again until the decal is clean. Wipe the GoJo off gently with a cotton ball when you notice the GoJo has turned brown. Gently wiping with the cotton swab in this fashion, let the GoJo work on the dirt, old oil, and grime. Resist scrubbing with the cotton swab to clean the area faster, remember, the decals are largely unprotected and will not withstand aggressive cleaning. The cotton swab is not doing the cleaning, the GoJo is. Remember, you are not cleaning by rubbing off the grime… you are cleaning by dissolving the grime. Then, using a cotton swab, gently rub the GoJo over the decals… How much pressure to use? Think the “weight of gravity” on the cotton swab… rotate and gently swirl the tip of the cotton swab on the decal.
Do not use the formulation with pumice, it will scratch the finish horribly. Again, this is not covered in this tutorial, but lacking this, the results are still very much worth the effort. To stabilize the finish the machine will be sprayed with several coats of shellac to seal and protect the finish for years to come. It is clean, but the decals are still unprotected. What I want this tutorial to explain is how this machine was cleaned, and how it looks after cleaning…
#VINTAGE SINGER SEWING MACHINE MODELS FULL#
But, all of that is outside of this tutorial, and it will be documented in a separate full restoration blog. This machine is going thru a complete restoration, so it will be completely disassembled and all of the plated pieces buffed to a fine condition… it will look and sew like new. So, if you find one, and the decals look even in reasonably good condition, you can find a beautiful sewing machine underneath. You will find many machines in this condition, or even worse. Its dirty… and even though the decals show through and don’t look too bad, the real beauty… shades of rich colors and fine details lie underneath this dirt. Lets take a look at the condition of the machine before cleaning… So I am going to go over the steps I took to complete the cleaning and feel satisfied with the result. This is no different, I already know that I cannot polish or rub any defects out of the surface. I previously mentioned that any cleaning project needs to have a reasonable expectation for the outcome. The machine can still be cleaned to an acceptable level with a few simple steps. This means that the decals are highly susceptible to damage if the machine is cleaned too aggressively. It is not unusual in that almost all of the shellac Singer applied to protect the lacquer paint and decals is gone. There is some slight decal wear, but the full panorama of the “Sphinx” decals keep your brain busy enough to fill in the loss… it is not readily noticeable. It is kind of unusual in its condition because the decals are in fantastic condition for its age. Manufactured in 1918 this machine has achieved antique status. Well, I thought that this Singer Model 15K was a perfect example to show you. I previously posted a blog on cleaning a vintage Singer sewing machine, but I did not show you what kind of results you can expect to obtain.
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