Comments on: A Little Bit of Red

By: Hank Knight

Hank Knight — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:49:28 +0000

That’s a good lookin’ chair, Chris.

By: Joel Jacobson

Joel Jacobson — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:15:15 +0000

I use damp burlap to produce wear on my chairs. I sometimes use a fine sanding sponge to bring a few spots to bare wood.

Then, after it has set for about a day, I rub on warm linseed oil and wipe it off.

By: Mike Hamilton

Mike Hamilton — Thu, 27 May 2010 13:58:41 +0000

Count me in the leave it alone column. After 8 years, mine has "patina" that is real and looks just fine.

Mike

By: Floss

Floss — Thu, 27 May 2010 13:56:28 +0000

Try some shellac for the topcoat. Thin it to about 1-1.5 lb cut and wipe on with a cloth. It adds just the right amount of sheen that will eventually wear in all the right spots.

I made the same chair about 10 years ago. Red and black milk paint with linseed oil. It is now coming around to looking just right. Most of the joints have popped on the bow,arm and some on the stretchers, but it sits just as well as the day it was made.

Paint it and use it. No need to fake it.

By: Tom McMahon

Tom McMahon — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:57:14 +0000

I vote for the distressing. I dislike that crisp new plastic look, with the first scratch you’ve got a new looking chair with a big scratch. If you start with a distressed chair the scratches just blend right in.

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:23:46 +0000

I too am not in favor of artificial "distressing". Unless you are creating a forgery, I say let it happen honestly and naturally.

By: wbtanner

wbtanner — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:17:09 +0000

Chris

The reporting over the last week of your adventure taking the sack-back chairmaking class has been most interesting and exciting; and I envy you being able to share such quality time with your father as well. In the end you’ve had the profound experience making something new with a process virtually unchanged over three centuries. But I am puzzled why at this point you would consider distressing the finish when the ordinary evolution of time and accident will take its natural course?

By: gyegreene.blogspot.com

gyegreene.blogspot.com — Thu, 27 May 2010 11:53:50 +0000

Nice!

How ya gonna add some wear spots? Glue 120 grit to your sleeves, back of shirt, and the seat of your pants – and then sit ‘n’ squirm for a bit?

(Probably not a ”traditional” way of adding wear marks — but certainly authentic!)

–GG