What to do? Betrayed by Sophia...

[John Kasaian]

...Loren!
Well, the Sophia Loren of loupes anyway---a 6x Tilting Silvestri in it's little black ditty bag which I stored on top of the 'dorff in a GI surplus cooler. The black exterior coating on the bag came off on the 'dorff and I'm having a deuce of a time getting it off the mahogany. It's like a stain. When I discovered the issue it was sticky. I used spray furniture polish (some Target branded Pledge-oid stuff and the first thing at hand) on a paper towel and got the sticky off (the camera, not the ditty bag,) but the black stains remain.
Any suggestions short of sanding and refinishing?

[Mark Sawyer]

If it's penetrated through the finish and into the wood, you're screwed. Perhaps a lightly abrasive polish/wax like Mother's could clean and polish off a little bit of whatever finish coat is on there?

[Johnny LaRue]

I say use it to your advantage. Tell other photographers that it's a prototype, or that it's a "speed" coating that actually makes the camera work faster!

[John Kasaian]

So far, I found that I can scrape quite a bit of it off with my thumb nail, which is puzzling because it doesn't look or feel like a thumb nail scrape-able gooey deposit.
I'll keep at it and see what happens.
And I'll toss Sophia's ditty bag.

[Mark Sawyer]

Don't try any solvents, because they might help the stain to penetrate further into the finish.

[Jerry Bodine]

If it doesn't clean up put a bandaid over it so you won't have to look at it. :p

[Jac@stafford.net]

What you wrote about scraping it off. There is a very handy wood working hand-tool that has a straight edge you can draw across the length of a piece of wood to shave a tiny bit at a time - and make or keep it to its original shape. Google wood scrapers and choose the simple hand-held blade type. They are a joy to use, and relatively inexpensive.

[John Kasaian]

Thanks for the advice! My talented thumb nail did the trick, at long last, so the 'dorff is now good to go.
Right now I'm working on obtaining a Crown Royal ditty bag to house the Sophia Lauren of loupes :o

[Mark Sawyer]

Right now I'm working on obtaining a Crown Royal ditty bag to house the Sophia Lauren of loupes :o

Oh, the sacrifices we make for Art... :rolleyes:

[Jim Jones]

Why spend money on manufactured wood scrapers when a scrap of broken window glass is sharper and works better. Wood workers have been using this for centuries.

[Mark Sawyer]

Why spend money on manufactured wood scrapers when a scrap of broken window glass is sharper and works better. Wood workers have been using this for centuries.

YES!!! I say chug half a bottle of Crown Royal and bust a few windows! That'll do the trick!

Trust us, John. We're your friends...

[jnantz]

fantastic john!

now, to celebrate

Sophia Loren Shim

2 oz Aperol
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz bourbon (to qualify as low-alcohol a drink cannot contain more than 1/2 oz of an 80-proof or higher spirit)
4 dashes rhubarb bitters

cheers !
john

[cowanw]

Sadly the present day Crown Royal bags don't hold a candle to those of the 1960's.

[John Kasaian]

fantastic john!

now, to celebrate

Sophia Loren Shim

2 oz Aperol
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz bourbon (to qualify as low-alcohol a drink cannot contain more than 1/2 oz of an 80-proof or higher spirit)
4 dashes rhubarb bitters

cheers !
john
I'll drink to that!:D

[Racer X 69]

Sadly the present day Crown Royal bags don't hold a candle to those of the 1960's.

Nothing good ever lasts.

[AtlantaTerry]

As an alternative to a Royal Crown bag, see what a jewelry store supplier might have. Or try The Container Store.

[John Kasaian]

As an alternative to a Royal Crown bag, see what a jewelry store supplier might have. Or try The Container Store.

It's cheaper to go to a liquor store than to a jewelry store:o

[jnantz]

It's cheaper to go to a liquor store than to a jewelry store:o

especially since you are going to be there anyways to pick up "supplies" ;)
BTW the note about only 1/2 oz bourbon can be ignored if you need to celebrate a little more :)

[John Kasaian]

especially since you are going to be there anyways to pick up "supplies" ;)
BTW the note about only 1/2 oz bourbon can be ignored if you need to celebrate a little more :)
I like the way you think, john!

[AtlantaTerry]

It's cheaper to go to a liquor store than to a jewelry store:o

NO! That is NOT what I wrote. I said, "see what a jewelry store supplier might have". These stores sell display cases, watch holders, ring boxes, (possibly) velvet bags, etc. They do NOT sell jewelry.