Winter project purchased but looking for ideas

Jeff in TX

I've been searching the last year or so for a vintage early 20th century bread cutter.  I just purchased this one off of eBay.  I'm going to restore it to new for my wife's birthday in March.  Yes, some...most will say leave it as is!  However, I know my wife and she'd want completely restored.  She's not into old looking but new old looking stuff.  So restore it will be.  Most of the ones I've seen from that day the metal work was painted different colors, though some were just cast iron with no finish which I think this one was.

I'm kicking the idea around of bead blasting all of the metal pieces parts to clean them up and painting them with antique white using enamel paint.  Though once bead blasted I may just polish the metal pieces and leave it at that.   The blade looks to be in good shape and will get sharpened and polished and the bread box refinished.  Although, my buddy suggested building a new bread box out of splated maple or sycamore wood.  Now that would be an interesting look.

Anyhoo, nothings set in stone but would love some ideas from y'all.  Any thoughts and ideas.  

zorba

If it were mine, and it isn't, I'd refinish the wood, beadblast the metal, and call it a day.

Tugar

Personally I would polish and leave it. Less chance of eating paint. Beyond that, I would clean up the wood before making a determination on a new box. Cool item to be sure.

GunNut

You sure that is cast iron?  Looks too nice to me, I think it might be forged carbon steel.  In any case it looks like it’s is great shape with no pitting but I don’t see enough enough detail to tell.  If there is no pitting I would just clean up the metal and give it a slight polish with a buffing wheel and fine compounds.  The I’d paint the lettering black or white and fill the low part of the brand mark with a self leveling paint or epoxy in red or other contrasting color (her favorite?) to match stuff in her kitchen.  The blade would get a similar treatment as the frame and then just polished to like new and honed to put a nice new edge on it.

The wood would get some special attention.  If it’s got nice grain I would sand down and an give it a good oil finish.  If it’s just plain I’d be looking for either some nicely figure hickory, walnut, cherry or oak and making a new spectacular box and matching handle.

GunNut

BUT if it really is cast iron, I’d go with Cerakote black baked on finish for the frame and polish the blade bright!

Jeff in TX

GunNut said:

BUT if it really is cast iron, I’d go with Cerakote black baked on finish for the frame and polish the blade bright!

I can't tell if it's cast iron or not, won't know until it gets here and I get back from vacation.  I would think if it's forge carbon, I'd need to paint or do something with the metal.

I'll post pics once I get it.  Yes, the blade will be polished bright

GunNut

Jeff in TX said:

GunNut said:

BUT if it really is cast iron, I’d go with Cerakote black baked on finish for the frame and polish the blade bright!

I can't tell if it's cast iron or not, won't know until it gets here and I get back from vacation.  I would think if it's forge carbon, I'd need to paint or do something with the metal.

I'll post pics once I get it.  Yes, the blade will be polished bright

Not necessarily, I would not consider a kitchen in a house a harsh environment.  You'd deal with it as you would with any other carbon steel knife blade for example.  A rag with a little vegetable oil on it wipe every once in a blue moon will keep it looking pristine.

Regardless of the direction you go it will be awesome!  I was just on eBay snooping around and the darn things are not inexpensive!

Jeff in TX

GunNut said:

Jeff in TX said:

GunNut said:

BUT if it really is cast iron, I’d go with Cerakote black baked on finish for the frame and polish the blade bright!

I can't tell if it's cast iron or not, won't know until it gets here and I get back from vacation.  I would think if it's forge carbon, I'd need to paint or do something with the metal.

I'll post pics once I get it.  Yes, the blade will be polished bright

Not necessarily, I would not consider a kitchen in a house a harsh environment.  You'd deal with it as you would with any other carbon steel knife blade for example.  A rag with a little vegetable oil on it wipe every once in a blue moon will keep it looking pristine.

Regardless of the direction you go it will be awesome!  I was just on eBay snooping around and the darn things are not inexpensive!

No they are not.  I was lucky and got mine for $150.00 Below is a video I found today on You-tube where someone does a complete refinish job on one.  Pretty nice when it was all said and done.  If it was me the wood was pretty bad to start off with but he does a great job showing how to restore the wood and finished.  I would have replaced the wood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNL0ItcsuUw

GunNut

Damn you, now I have a few on my “watched items” list... 🤬

Jermanator

Kind of neat, but you had me fired up thinking you bought an old Oliver.

jbohio

I'd be careful head blasting it.  As in, I wouldn't.  Bead can/will change the texture of the metal.  
I'd have it soda, or dry ice blasted.  Preferably soda.

That's a seriously cool piece! I'm pretty enamored with it,  truth be told.
Can't wait to see the finished product.

Big Al1

What ever you do, that thing is cool!! I just love old "technology". 

Zorba's waiting for the one that connects to wifi!!