(Old) metal “preservation” w/o restoration (antique shoemaking jacks)

[Oro_O]

I consider myself skilled wrt most metal care/treatment/refurbishing, but this has me pondering my options.

These are 100+ year old boot/shoe making jacks. They came from a (long) defunct large sheep ranch out in eastern Washington, and were used to make and repair boots for the ranch, from pre-WWI to WWII. I got them from a member of the original ranch family a few years ago. As decorative items, they look super and such, but having them on the porch, even covered and dry, is making the old steel really rust fast. I want to make them last, but not necessarily fully “refinish” them and strip away the history.

I could sandblast them, acid etch them, and paint them so they last another 100 years easy. But then it ruins the “aged” look. On the other hand, I can’t just let them rust away. I also don’t know what they would have looked like new, like out of the Sears and Roebuck catalog in 1910 - just painted, or what?

 

[facility1]

consider some naval jelly,,loctite rust dissolver should do the trick,,and maybe some light buffing with 3M sandcloth of low grit by hand and use clear lacquer for finish and to preserve metal

 

[wwillson]

Before you remove the patina/rust, find someone when understands if it will also remove value. I understand these are not antique firearms, but if you remove patina from those, you'll also remove a considerable amount of value.

 

[wings&wheels]

Restoring or even cleaning may hurt the value, but are these worth enough to worry? If not there are some interesting videos of how to clearcoat over rust to preserve the patina. I would probably preserve and refinish. I have done similar with Corroseal (the only rust 'converter' I've been happy with) and a topcoat.

 

[b4autodark]

I would wire brush by hand and give them a brushed on coat of shellac. It will save the look and preserve them without ruining their antique appeal.

 

[JohnnyG]

I think originally they were painted black. My dad had some and would use them at times when us kids would tear off a heel or such.
I remember just a little black paint on them where it hadn't rusted yet.

 

[ecotourist]

I have one too. Mine has a removable shoe last and a short stand nailed to a poplar post. The shoe last is removable and we had a large shoe last and a small one. My dad used it regularly, especially for replacing heels. The small shoe last has disappeared over the years but I still have the large one. Mine isn't rusty though - just old cast iron and steel.

 

[ecotourist]

When I look closer at yours I see it has cut outs along the edge of the base so you can nail it down. The base on mine is bigger and has 4 holes. The base is broken off beside one of those holes - always has been in my memory. Over-enthusiastic nailing I suppose.

 

[DuckRyder]

matte clear.

 

[Oro_O]

Restoring or even cleaning may hurt the value, but are these worth enough to worry? If not there are some interesting videos of how to clearcoat over rust to preserve the patina. I would probably preserve and refinish. I have done similar with Corroseal (the only rust 'converter' I've been happy with) and a topcoat.

This (and some other comments, too) are along what I was thinking but not 100% sure. I agree there’s no value here to worry about - and I understand that as I’ve collected as well as preserved vs. refinished many firearm over the decades.

I am thinking some mild cleaning but leaving the patina, and then clear-coat. I will look up some videos or diys on that. I even have some cerakote clear on hand leftover from an architectural project last year. I think that may be overkill for this and some matte clear spray as suggested may be just fine.

 

[Oro_O]

I have one too. Mine has a removable shoe last and a short stand nailed to a poplar post. The shoe last is removable and we had a large shoe last and a small one. My dad used it regularly, especially for replacing heels. The small shoe last has disappeared over the years but I still have the large one. Mine isn't rusty though - just old cast iron and steel.

Yep, the heads are removable on these and I have another smaller head also. It is sitting separately on a post nearby.