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-----Cleaning/restoring vintage tin humpback/steamer trunk
Quickstart:
Restoring antique trunks can be interesting both to those who have a single family heirloom, and those who undertake the restoration of trunks as a hobby or small business.
For readers wanting to try it, three quick tips before experiences are shared:
• solvents like mineral spirits
⇦ on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil link]
will usually remove paint without much effect on metal;
• mild acids like vinegar will usually remove rust without much effect on paint;
• bare metal rusts very rapidly, especially if left acidic; neutralize any acidic cleaner with baking soda, then wax or clearcoat.
Read on, join in ...
Q. Hi Trisha - your trunk looks identical to one I have.
How did you remove rust and clean without damaging the copper finish?
Tanya Landon
- Hillsboro, Oregon
November 20, 2022
A. I tried so many different things. The rust was thick enough that after a good cleaning, I actually used a wire brush and 00 steel wool
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link] and did the best I could. The only place that it took off the finish was on top and I think it was already rubbed off to begin with there. My biggest issue is that it would start rusting again after anything I did. It would be gone and then back the next day. I used WD-40
⇦ on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil link]
to try and slow that process down.
Trisha Loudermilk
- Pittsburg, Kansas
A. Hi.
Bare, clean metal will rust or oxidize extremely quickly -- especially if it is left at all acidic. If a cleaner you used might have been acidic, rinse it with a strong solution of baking soda [in bulk on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil link]
or washing soda
⇦ on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil link]
.
Then It needs wax, or preferably a clear coat for longer lasting effect.
adv.: Protectaclear from Everbrite [a finishing.com supporting advertiser] is a thin, hard, clear coat used on jewelry, and should work well for this.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
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Q. I am looking to remove rust that is very thin but consistent over the entire area of embossed tin on my 100 year old Humpback Trunk. Using 00 steel wool
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link] is removing also the black paint that's on the higher part of the embossing. How can I do this without hurting the paint or the trunks wood?
Thanks Much!
John Reycraft
- Northridge, California
2002
Q. I have the exact same question as this person.
I really want to refinish this trunk myself, but don't want to mess it up. My trunk is covered in tin, and wooden slats which also need cleaning. The hinges are lovely/unique, but need cleaning also. I just don't want to mess this up..and then there are thick leather handles on the sides which are mostly dried out..The truck is 120 years old...
Diane Hutchins
- Fairfax, Virginia
A. Hi John, hi Diane,
Mild acids, including vinegar, remove rust without much effect on paint. But remember to neutralize with baking soda because surfaces which are left acidic will flash rust very quickly.
Luck & Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Q. I too have a tin covered flat top trunk that needs to be cleaned of rust. It appears to have black paint but has a lot of white spots on it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated....
Brenda Johnson
- Odessa, Texas
2002
A. One of my co-workers was asking me this question as well. I suggested to use naval jelly
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link]
and super fine #0000 steel wool
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link] . I will find out the results from my coworker and post another reply soon.
DAVID ANDERSON
- MADELIA, Minnesota
Ed. note: Naval jelly sounds like a great idea.
A. In response to the rust on the tin of the black trunk. I also have the same problem and I really think it depends on the amount of rust which is on the trunk. I am in the stages of restoring an old trunk myself and have taken some ideas off the net. One idea was to use steel wool
⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link] ; however, if the rust is really bad, then use a wire wheel on an electric drill. I decided to use a wire wheel and it would seem that the rust went all the way through the tin. Now I have to either patch or replace the tin. I think that I'm going to replace the tin as most of the entire top is rusted.
Kevin Brown
- Chatham, Ontario, Canada
A. In response to the question of finishing the metal trunk, I am also refinishing a humpback metal trunk and have found that the best way so far to remove rust is to use vinegar
⇦ in bulk on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil link] and steel wool, and used 220 sandpaper (wet) ⇦ on
eBay or
Amazon [affil link]
on it. I like the look of leaving it distressed with some discolor of the old tin, to make it more vintage looking, not shiny. I plan on sanding the wood strips on it and putting some darker stain on them. Has anyone done a tin trunk this way? Any suggestions on what to put on the tin without making it shiny looking? Wax? Boiled linseed oil? What do you suggest?
Lynne Meinke
hobbyist, retired - Northern California
March 4, 2022
A. Actually, I am working on my 1st trunk now. And have tried everything that you did. However, the best thing that has worked for me is using my drill with nylon drill brush 80 grit or better ⇨
.
And it worked like a charm on the tin and the steel on all of the corners too!
Melanie Chiappone
- Manchester, New Jersey
July 8, 2022
A. Try Renaissance Wax
⇦ on
eBay
or
Amazon [affil link]
... Hope it helps and good luck!
Goran Budija
- Cerovski Vrh Croatia
Here are the photos of the before & after.
Lynne Meinke [returning]
- Redding, California
July 18, 2022
Ed. note: Congratulations!
Need embossed tin for antique trunk
Q. I am restoring an antique trunk that is in very good condition except for one panel of embossed tin on the front. I would like to find sources for the tin and have not been very successful in my internet searches. Would appreciate any leads to sources!
Mary Farwellartist - Bakersfield, California
2006
Q. Did you find the tin? If so, where?
Ben Rice- Mt. Sterling, Kentucky
February 19, 2010
? Hi, folks. A picture would go a long way, as I don't understand quite what you are looking for.
"Tin foil" is made of aluminum, not tin, and I suspect you are looking for sheet metal whether or not it's actually solid tin, tin plated, or plated with something else? Something like old tin ceiling tile?
I doubt you'll find the exact pattern you're seeking, so now you'll have to take up the additional hobby of tin working 🙂
Regards,
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
February 19, 2010
Q. Here is my trunk I was gifted. My dad said to clean and restore. I clarified with him and he doesn't want me to sand the wood, repaint or stain anything, so I am working on cleaning without being able to do anything after. I am making progress, but I am trying to find the best way to get the rust off the embossed copper tin without removing the copper paint/coating that is on it.
Trisha Loudermilk
- Kansas
September 9, 2022
Sorry! Finishing.com is temporarily Read-Only.
Ted Mooney is retiring but I have several offers to take it over.
We're working hard to make sure we find it the best new home.