Having now completed every lock in the house i can say I found a better way of doing this. A blade and sandpaper. I used a blade to scrape away most of the layers of paint. Leaving only two of three. Then wet sanding it back to the black japanning (what I first though was paint.) with high git sandpaper. Its time consuming but I was left with a perfect black finish without the scapes or groves shown when I finished this lock. I have also obtained keys for these locks so they are all working like new again :)
"And today we are going to be breaking into a mans home." **Disassembles the front door lock** "And just to prove that wasn't a fluke lets do that again."
Well well well, didn’t expect to see you here haha. Cool to see that you were salvaged some of these old door locks, from long abandoned properties I assume? I love antique door hardware, from their construction, build quality and overall aesthetics, they are neat! In fact, I just picked up an old mortise lock today lol.
Thanks mate! I have discovered they are coated in something called "japanning" I have purchased the required materials to do it so might re-coat this one. But got plenty throughout the house to do.
@@HughJeffreys It was really neat to see you bring that old lock back to life. In old homes, I tend to like originality, and hardware definitely counts in my books. It’s sad whenever people replace nice original antique hardware with modern junk to be honest. And yes, japanning was a very common method of protecting metal on household goods from I would say the 1800s all the way up until the early 1900s, it’s on just about anything old appliance or hardware related that doesn’t have an otherwise different metal or paint finish. I like it because it is relatively durable and looks good (when in good condition)
@@thewatchworks1372 yes saved a few from old homes that were being demolished, you would be shocked to see what gets wasted sometimes! Glad you are in to all the old wares and locks 🙂
@@HughJeffreys thats more stuff I never knew! I can see the nice old brown doors and trims you referred to being very similar to one I filmed recently 🙂
Thank you, Hugh, for all the hard work you do to produce a video every week. Sharing your knowledge is invaluable to the rest of us. You provide a valuable service and do a great job!
Hi 😎 It's nice that you renew such antiques, I know a few people who throw away such wonders remembering the old ages. I renovated an old cupboard, probably 100 years old, and removed several layers of oil paints. Instead of chemicals, I used a heat gun and it worked out much better and sewed better than the sticky road of steaming chemicals. Cheers and until next time!!!
I'd definitely like to see more content like this. Restoring broken technology is fascinating AND educational. You've put the same energy and explanation into this as well.
I think you did a beautiful job in restoring that lock. We was restoring a very old church organ in Cambridge years ago. Although the screws had to be replaced as they had become fragile. We coated the top of the new screws with oil, then using a blow lamp to remove the top layer, so it would look old.
This type of restoration sometime can be related to My Mechanic and Tysytube. I'm sure they very well of restore this type in the pass. But I could be wrong.
I'm not one to comment on videos usually, but this was a really nice thing to see from a history student's perspective, and I have to admire how well you did what had to have been some pretty fine handiwork
I like your approach to restoring. Not making it all shiny and new, but showing the time that passed. I doesn't need to be perfect but it looks so much better than paintet over multiple times with ugly paint.
Nice change from the normal videos, but I PERSONALLY would love to see it sand blasted and returned to like new and shiny, but nun the less great viewing 👍👍
Very good restoration, I used to own old locks, when live in Sydney when I used to live in a house, it's quite easy to get try keys Mitre 10, Bunnings or old antiques. Thanks, it looks like you live in a 1920s house🙂😊👌
My late father worked at H&T Vaughan from 1925 to the takeover by Yale in 1928. The locks had a Black Japanned finish. The item was dipped in a thick tar-like paint and hung up to dry. Once dry the item was heated using a gas torch until the paint finish began to wrinkle. A lasting finish but a Health & Safety nightmare
I've heard that using a slow cooker is a great way to remove old paint without affecting the hardware's patina. You might give that a shot next time...
Very nice! I've done the very same thing myself and I agree with your approach. However, WD40 has virtually no lubricant in it so I would suggest attending to that at some point soon.
very good video! I like variety content, once you watch someone's content for a while you stop watching just for the content and start watching for the person, or rather, the character they play more often than not. 10/10 video, LPL might have some tips
Very relaxing and satisfying, for some reason, although I'm not sure I'd have the patience, myself. Never seen pink matches? You don't have Swan Vesta matches in Australia? Matches you can just flick off any wall to spark up?
Great work! I imagine the door would also look amazing if stripped back to the original pine and then treated with something to bring out the colour of the wood. Of course it all depends on what look you're going for.
I love how you crossed over from electronics to my other interests! I actually clicked on the video in the feed not noticing it was a Hugh Jefferies video. On the content - I think refurbishing the lock would have been a better way to go - removing the rust and protecting the metal all over again would ensure that it would stay in use for another century at least, and a proper paint job would allow you to create a real patina over the years :). Also - WD40 is a bad lubricant for these uses, it will help for a few days but then it will just gunk it up.
I really do like old things like this lock, however, I do believe that you should have fully repainted the lock a nice, even black. I really do like this kind of content.
Wow. the lock you got almost looks like our Bathroom door handle and lock in our 1905 mid size house in london england maybe ill have to learn to restore it too that is if my mum lets me since its a family house and she don't want anything going bad happening by taking old paint off
There is a black dye that you can stain. Won't stain brass though If I remember correctly. Used on tools of the era. I can't remember what it's called but there is instructions on how to make and apply it on RU-vid. It stains the metal permanently. It would look a lot nicer and be period correct. Which was what the black was probably trying to simulate. It would make the lock look brand new though so you would want a high polish on that brass.
The original black is called "Japaning" it is a tar based solution that is baked on. Used extensively on tools and cast iron products. Paint stripper will not touch it.
Willenhall is close, and now, really a suburb of Wolverhampton in the West midlands near the city of Birmingham. Wolverhampton was known for its lock-makers. More famously The Chubb lock co!
This is technology Hugh, just earlier tech. This is my next fave video after the beautiful car restauration with your father. Still love learning from the others. I'm a book binder/restorer. Well done. (Vaughan is pronounced "Vorn").
lots of info on on the internet about the original lock makes they sold the company in 1928 to Yale the American lock company , very interesting I love the victorian era so much pride went into everything ,
I know you didn’t want to restore it. But leaving it with the original finish doesn’t make it look better. Should have sanded it lightly, just to knock down all the high spots on the surface, mask it up and shot one light coat of satin black paint 🧛🏼♂️
