Hello folks, I'm a newbee and have already found the forum very useful. I found my late father's stove in an old pigeon lost last week. Within a few days, I had gotten enough info to fire it up. I can't date it and have no idea the last time it was used but it lit with fuel at least 20yrs old, possibly twice that! What I would like to know (apart from it's age)is : Is the burner and spirit cup supposed to be black and how should I go about refurbishing the grate supports?
@JOHN RUSSELL Hi John and welcome to CCS. Within the Fettling Forum is a 4 part series titled Stove Restoration Parts 1-4 Stove restoration. Parts 1 to 4 This will give you some great advice about restoration. I personally have found citric acid to be my best friend. It is found in many proprietory cleaners like Bar Keepers Friend, as well as in some rust removers like the Hammerite gel rust remover; but I bought a big bag of it online from a garden centre type outlet. Citric acid is more effective in warm/hot water and can be used to dip brass parts in to remove dirt and tarnish as well as loosening the carbon build up inside the vaporiser tubes. Soak them in it for a few minutes at a time and keep a check that it is not dissolving the zinc from the brass (it will turn the brass from yellow to pink if left too long). You may be amazed at how well it loosens blackened carbon build up from the spirit cup and burner parts. As for steel parts, citric acid solution is good for dissolving rust deposits, although it has a tendency to turn the outer finish to dark grey, but you can rub that back to bright with a little steel wool. Painted surfaces like stove tins can have their rust marks dissolved away without damage to the surrounding paintwork - not personally had a massive success with this yet, but when I find one with a suitable tin box I shall surely have a go. You can also use it as a descaler for the kettle or coffee machine and it works great for removing limescale from the loo as well! I have found it an excellent and economical cleaner. The one I bought was food grade, so no big concerns about poisoning myself or the rest of the planet! Hope that helps. Dean
Thanks Dean. I do have Bar Keeper's Friend. Hadn't thought about using that. I will take a look at that restoration link too. JR
