Replies

1. 
   JohnWW | Aug 08, 2006 06:07pm | #1

   ST,

   The true "Japan" finish refers to black lacquer ware that became popular when Japan was opened to international trade after Commodore Perry negotiated a trade agreement with Japan in 1854. 

   Cashing in on the popularity of the glossy black look, numerous finishes were developed in the U.S. to mimic it.  So, first of all, there is no one true Japan finish when it comes to American made goods.  In fact, it appears that after a while the term just came to mean a hard glossy finish in any color, not just black.

   The following is a recipe for a version of the finish I found in "Henley's Twentieth Century Home and Workshop Formulas, Recipes, & Processes" from the early 1900's:

   "Japan Black.- The following is a good japan black for metal surfaces: Take 12 ounces of amber and 2 ounces of asphaltum.  Fuse by heat, and add 1/2 pint of boiled oil and 2 ounces of rosin.  When cooling add 16 ounces of oil of turpentine."  There are no instructions for its use.

   Basically, a "Japan" finish is what we would today call a glossy black enamel.  If you want to refinish a plane, strip off the old finish with paint remover and use a primer and then black engine enamel to repaint it.  Engine enamels, in spray cans, are available in auto supply stores and they are tough, oil resistant, and formulated to go over cast iron.  If you are going to do any mechanical repairs on the plane, and/or true up the sole, I would do all of that first, then disassemble and strip the tool for repainting.

   Before painting, carefully mask off all surfaces, including the top edge of the body, with masking tape.  Usually two coats of black enamel over the primer will hide most of the roughness of the casting, but a third coat might be needed.  Strip off the masking tape an hour or so after the final coat, before the paint fully hardens, which would make the tape harder to remove.  Once the tape is off, be patient and let the paint fully harden for a week or two before reassembling the plane. 

   Any paint that creeped under the tape is best removed with a sharp razor blade.  If the primer, which is often gray, shows as a thin line along the edges of the finish, the gray can be hidden by going over the edge with the tip of a black marker.  

   For cleaning without repainting, try removing any dirt first with a water based cleaner, like Simple Green sprayed on a towel, and then naphtha or paint thinner.  If you have some spots that the water or naphtha don't clean up, try alcohol.  I've never seen a finish on a tool that was damaged by either naphtha or alcohol, but you might want to test each solvent on a small spot before wiping down the whole tool.  Don't use lacquer thinner or methyl ethyl ketone for cleaning, they will damage many old finishes. 

   If you want to brighten the old finish up after cleaning, wax it with furniture wax which can also be used on the bare iron surfaces to help deter rusting.  Areas of the finish that are dulled can sometimes be restored to a gloss by using auto polish, but stay away from any auto finishing material that contains silicone, since the silicone, even in minute quantities, will cause problems later in the shop with the finishing of both wood and metal. 

   If the plane has historic value, or is valuable to collectors, the best advice is usually to do nothing to the tool, the dirt and wear being a "patina" that can add considerably to the plane's value.

   John White 

   
   

   ---

   Edited 8/8/2006 11:52 am ET by JohnWW

1. 
   strestoration | Aug 08, 2006 11:07pm | #2

   John,

    

   Thanks for the very thorough answer (and the research behind it!). The plane in question (a Stanley #78) will be a user, but I'd like to recondition it for my own satisfaction. Thanks again.

    

   ST

1. 
   JohnWW | Aug 08, 2006 11:21pm | #3

   The #78 should be a bit more of a challenge for painting.  They are a nice plane.  I have a spare fence, and the bar it mounts on, if you are looking for them.

   John White