Advice Wanted on Older Uke Restoration/Cleanup

[LiLohan]

Pictured is the ukulele my father recently passed down to me. He thinks his father picked it up somewhere along the years, which means it probably was a dump/swapshop pick or yard sale item at some point (and the marker price on it reaffirms that.) The first picture is simply the before to get an idea of the condition it was in when I got it.

What I know is it was made by the Samuel Osborne Manufacturing Company out of Chicago with some connection to the Masonic Temple. Judging by the short life of the company, and the article below, I’m guessing it’s ~100 years old and likely Koa wood given that was their specialty. No idea of its value, I can find only a few sales of the 4 string varieties and nothing on this one.

https://www.leavingthisworld.com/sa...jXBO7NE6h7RM4HzHey1xoDMaKN3smqWr2u5Cqo6nBjL3k

That’s the limit to my knowledge. Except that it was filthy when I got it. Years of not being played, stored in a closet somewhere, and passing through two generations of smoking households weren’t kind. So what I’ve done is done two passes with a weak ukulele oil and soft cloth. I lightly brushed off the pegs a bit with just mildly soaped water to get them turning again. I had to use a small pin to get two of the holes in the bridge open from dirt/dust to get a string through again. I did put two sets of extra strings on it just to make sure it was stable/playable (and it has held up for 2 months this way), but I’m ordering a true set of 8 strings to string properly, once I know I’m done cleaning/working on it.

I’d like folks’ expertise and advice on two main things. One, what can I use to help the wood at this point? I’m not looking for a full paid restoration with a professional, just that I could play it without worrying about it getting in worse condition and maybe make it look a bit nicer. Obviously, it’s likely dry and needs some life back it. Second, what should I do on the tuning pegs? They look tarnished and are extremely difficult to get tuneable without losing their ability to hold the string tight. Any recommendations on cleaners/oils/etc for all parts of the uke would be awesome.

 

[oldjazznut]

It looks pretty nice already in the photos. Did it have any strings on it? Any structural problems, cracks, warps? One thing I would do is disassemble the pegs for a 100% brushing, being careful to not mix up parts and locations. Moveable parts tend to "set" to each other over time.

Keep us posted!

 

[LiLohan]

Someone had tried to string it before me, I think it had three on it when I got it. Then they likely hit the two holes that were filled with dust and gunk and gave up. No structural issues I can find, it's really just feeling like the wood likely needs some better cleaning and protection and I need to be able to tune it more consistently.

 

[Michael Smith]

I would take off strings and tuners give it a light sanding with 400 grit (just enough to clean it up and smooth out any weirdness then give it several thin coats of French Polish. That tends to make them look pretty good and more than likely was the original finish and will work well even if it wasn't.

 

[ProfChris]

I wouldn't do anything to the finish yet.

Start by cleaning up with a warm, damp rag to get most of the dirt off. Then naphtha (lighter fluid) on a clean rag to remove greasy dirt. Buff up with a soft cloth. That might well be all you need.

Post pictures after cleaning if you think the finish needs work, but certainly don't start sanding yet! My usual remedy for dull finish is automotive paint rubbing compound, but not if finish has been worn off in patches.

The tuners just need disassembly, cleaning (naphtha again) and rust removal from the screws. The screws adjust the tension, and they're hard to turn because they are too tight at the moment.

 

[hendulele]

The article suggests some doubt over whether Osborne made ukes or bought them from Harmony or Regal. I don’t recall seeing a taropatch (8-string) from either maker. Nor did they typically use bone saddles or high-grade tuning pegs. This looks like a true keeper.

i agree with @ProfChris. Treat it gently right now and see what you find after a very basic cleaning.

 

[LiLohan]

Thanks for the info all! So sounds like a warm damp cleaning, then a rub in lighter fluid, then just a wipe off/rub with a dry cloth. Take the pegs off, clean the rust off the screws (assuming something like steel wool is ok?) And lighter fluid on the rest. Is that ok to use on the actual pegs? Whatever the white material is has a slight tacky feeling to it (grime and nicotine maybe).

 

[EDW]

I have had great results cleaning the accumulated grime off using

Hill Violin Preparation Cleaner and Polish - 1 ounce bottles

Keep your violin in top shape with Hill's violin care products - preparation cleaner, polish, accessories & more for string instrument maintenance.

www.sharmusic.com

 

[ProfChris]

Lighter fluid will be fine on the pegs, probably just greasy dirt.

To derust the screws I'd soak them in vinegar or even a fizzy soft drink - give them 2 hours, scrubbing brush (nail brush or old toothbrush) and clean water, repeat if still rusty.

 

[Beau Hannam Ukuleles]

1- Naptha is good for most stuff, especially greasy, gunky stuff.
2- Deionised water (it lifts dirt better as the deionised nature of it attracts dirt)- good for old cracks.

3- Grime does not equal "mojo", anymore then an unwashed person equals cool. So clean off the dirt and grime.

4- As for the finish, the vintage market (if you want to sell it and get top dollar) leave the finish as is (it looks totally functional to me, which is what a finish is for- a function film of protection). There are areas where vintage finish should be touched up/replaced etc but thats for another post.

I cant see anything wrong with it from the pics (cant see any cracks). Check inside for loose braces that need regluing. Easiest for you to use would be fish glue- its like hot hide glue that you dont need to heat up. But its not a good glue to use in humid conditions (don't use it if you live in Hawaii).

Hope that helps,
beau

 

[ploverwing]

Grime does not equal "mojo", anymore then an unwashed person equals cool. So clean off the dirt and grime.

 

[LiLohan]

Quick update and some questions. First of all, the naphtha did do a nice job on the uke itself. You could especially see the difference in the more heavily held areas, and around the trim. Second, the vinegar worked wonders, the hardware looks amazing and I'm sure will tune more consistently once I put it back together. Now, new questions (see pics for a few of them).

1.) Some of the tuners are missing a few washers. I have 2 or 3 that are missing the tiny metal washer between the head of the screw and the actual white pegs. I have a few that are missing one of the non-metal washers (leather maybe?) that sort of flank the headstock of the uke on either side. How vital are those? Am I OK without them or do I need to find replacements?

2.) The white tuner pegs came a bit cleaner, but I'm struggling to get into their nooks and crannies, so to speak. I tried the naphtha - should I try it again with a stronger brush or any other ideas? I know the pegs aren't going to get white as snow, I'm really just trying to get the grey/black gunk off of them (see picture).

3.) The uke's finish looks dry to me. I obviously don't want to do something to make it shiny like I just brought it home, but is there anything easy to apply, that might give it a light sheen and make the wood look a bit healthier? See the picture of the headstock/body.

 

[merlin666]

This is a nice find and congrats on your restoration progress. I assume it is a concert scale so will be nice with two sets of low tension strings for taropatch setup. It may be worthwhile to invest in new tuners either friction or planetary.

 

[sequoia]

Quick update and some questions. First of all, the naphtha did do a nice job on the uke itself. You could especially see the difference in the more heavily held areas, and around the trim. Second, the vinegar worked wonders, the hardware looks amazing and I'm sure will tune more consistently once I put it back together. Now, new questions (see pics for a few of them).

1.) Some of the tuners are missing a few washers. I have 2 or 3 that are missing the tiny metal washer between the head of the screw and the actual white pegs. I have a few that are missing one of the non-metal washers (leather maybe?) that sort of flank the headstock of the uke on either side. How vital are those? Am I OK without them or do I need to find replacements?

2.) The white tuner pegs came a bit cleaner, but I'm struggling to get into their nooks and crannies, so to speak. I tried the naphtha - should I try it again with a stronger brush or any other ideas? I know the pegs aren't going to get white as snow, I'm really just trying to get the grey/black gunk off of them (see picture).

3.) The uke's finish looks dry to me. I obviously don't want to do something to make it shiny like I just brought it home, but is there anything easy to apply, that might give it a light sheen and make the wood look a bit healthier? See the picture of the headstock/body.

1. As a general rule, parts such as washers are there for a good reason. Assembling assemblies without all the parts can be problematic. I have learned this lesson the hard way. More than once.

2. Old toothbrush and elbow grease.

3. Old English dark scratch remover. I know some might cringe as the rule of thumb is to not apply these types of finishes to valuable instruments, but I've had good success with the stuff.

 

[LiLohan]

Thanks for the info - I don't want to mess something up if it's legit valuable. But, this isn't something I'm going to sell, and with all the little dings and marker on the front, I know it's not something I'm going to put a bunch of money into to get it perfect. I simply want it to feel nice to play.

So, I'm really not opposed to something as simple as a light coat of furniture polish as a small coat of protection/finish on it (unless some folks scream otherwise). I think I might be able to emulate the small non-metal washers, they appear to be either a thin cardboard or leather material. Assuming I can figure that out, I might be able to make a substitute. The little metal ones are a different concern and I'd have no clue where to get replacements.

 

[LiLohan]

Thanks again for all the help folks. This is where I've landed. I'm really happy with it and now just have to wait for strings on Monday.

 

[Wiggy]

First off, the loving care of your attention shows.

The fiber, or leather, washers might be replaceable with nylon washers. A measurement (to .001") of the diameter, thickness, and hole size would be needed to find a match. Maybe someone who has done this could chime in on the use of nylon as a replacement.

The same for measurements of the metal washers

Macro pictures of both the original washers would help find replacements.

 

[jim275]

For odd size washers try McMaster-Carr (McMaster dot com). They even carry some leather washers. Good luck with the restoration.