How To Clean Enamel Signs

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flying scotsman123 Nat Pres stalwart

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Yes I know, it's probably been asked countless times before, and I know the first answer I'll get is "Don't do anything"!
However, I've been asked to look at some old enamel advertising signs and if there's anything that can be done with them to tart them up. Here's the first one:

What, if anything, can be done to improve this? Anything to bring the colour back, prevent the rust getting worse, and perhaps even effecting any sort of repair? Devaluing the piece is not an issue, these live on Winchcombe Station so its just a case of "Can we make them look better" rather than ever selling them.
Thoughts welcome.
martin1656 Resident of Nat Pres Friend

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Conservation, or restoration? are they originals, in some cases it's best to try to slow down the rust etc, something like kill rust, or any similar product that turns the rust into an inert covering,
I would imagine you might have a problem matching the faded colours if you try to re finish it
Try cleaning it with white spirit that might remove some of the grime, then a coat of varnish

If you want t make it like new, then use it as a template, and copy the design onto a clean sheet of metal and prime, then use coach enamel to paint a new sign .

Last edited: Oct 10, 2020
simon Part of the furniture

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There are a number of companies online who offer a restoration service and advice on doing so.
flying scotsman123 Nat Pres stalwart

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Mm, a general clean, kurust or similar and a polish or varnish sounds like a plan, as you say, trying to match faded colours isn't really feasible.Yes, that is a tempting option, it would keep me quiet for the winter months!I think we'd probably rather try and keep this limited to in-house work, especially at the current time, our budgets are more or less zero! But thanks anyway. I've had a bit of a look online and I've not seen anything about doing repairs or restoration, just cleaning.
nine elms fan Member

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I have in the past used Meths dont need much on a piece of cloth, bought a shine like a shilling up a sweeps a##e.
Ken_R New Member

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Alex. There are some videos on YouTube but I don't agree with everything on there. However, T-Cut could worth a try. I'll bring some in.
Alternatively, a Non-ferrous metal polishing kit from Cromwell Tools might be useful.

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/abr...non-ferrous-metal-polishing-kit/p/YRK2809420K

We already have the Stainless Steel variant kit, but that could be too aggressive. Worth a try?

Just make sure you use 0000 Grade steel wool. https://www.screwfix.com/p/liberon-grade-0000-extra-fine-steel-wool-250g/944ht

I think I've seen Drew Pritchard advocating furniture wax as a final finish.
flying scotsman123 Nat Pres stalwart

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Thanks Ken, yes Youtube is a bit of a minefield, all sorts of weird and wonderful practices there, and you never know how they come out in a few months' time.
It was Russ who was asking me about it, I'll point him in your direction for that polishing kit, the one we've got looks to have some of the same stuff as the other one anyway, and I think we have some 0000 steel wool in the paintshop. Furniture wax is a good shout too. I wonder if our carriage polish would do...

Thanks for the thoughts anyway.
toplight Well-Known Member

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If it was me doing it I would deal with the small rusty bits with an electric drill with wire brush attachment in the drill. Then if a lot of rust on the back, you can use an angle grinder with wire brush attachment in the grinder. Use gloves and goggles. Paint the cleaned up bits then with some metal primer. I use this stuff a lot as I like it . Painted a whole coach with it. https://www.johnstonestrade.com/product/quick-dry-zinc-phosphate-primer but if you have some of that Williamson anti corrosive green stuff then that is good too.
Then use car body filler (isopon) to fill any of the bits that look like they need filling where it was rusty and rub down with very fine wet and dry paper.

As for cleaning it, vitreous enamel they spray on and bake it in an oven to get the finish and it is kind of like a glass finish I think, so perhaps try cleaning with glass cleaner or maybe parafin. You can maybe polish it. You can even use toothpaste squeezed onto a clean cloth and then rub it a lot. Brasso is similar but more abrasive. Not sure I would use steel wool or any scraper as it might just scratch it. T cut is another possibility as suggested. Thing is to try a small section and see what works and what doesn't.

Then mix up some paint to match and touch up the bits you have repaired. I think if you varnish it, it might just flake off after a while so wouldn't do that.

This video is the kind of thing
Breva Part of the furniture

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In my view enamel signs are best kept indoors. Once the rust has started it is very difficult to stop, especially if you are going to hang the signs outdoors.
Outdoors you have an additional theft risk, such as recently at Fawley Hill, and at Wittersham Road some years back.
Finally, if I am not mistaken the value of a sign falls if patched up.
I would simply put on a rust killer to halt the process, and keep them indoors.
I don't actually recall any enamel signs on the Honeybourne line, certainly not at Broadway.
tor-cyan Well-Known Member

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here's a couple of photos of 2 of my signs both signs have been up for approx. 20 years.
this one had been in a fire and the enamel has melted in the bottom left corner and the red enamel cracked in places so the white shows through. All I have done to this one is apply a rust inhibiter to the bare metal and then sprayed the whole sign with a silicon sealant that is used to waterproof electronic components. its had a couple of resprays but I ran out of the spray so its not been done for a couple of years.

This one was also treated with rust inhibiter but then had several coats of good quality yacht applied this has lasted pretty well although the varnish has discoloured slightly over the years and where I have removed the ivy it has lifted some of the varnish.
next year I will strip the old vanish off and recoat it, if it last another 20 years, then it can become somebody else's problem.
hope this helps

Colin
26power New Member

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Maybe have a look at/sign up to this Facebook page where there has previously been discussions (some quite recently, I think) about repairing or conserving enamel signs, usually the station "totem" signs:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/145544682224716
Better looking yourself as there are various opinions!
Some example have gone from extremely poor condition to almost as new. Some are maybe overdone or you have to wonder what the difference is from a reproduction but that's up to the owners!