So, like, I have several antiques: Maple; oak; mahogany; cherry; other woods…
They’re getting dull looking over the years. I stopped using any kind of furniture polish more than a decade ago.
There’s something called rubbing?
And then it depends on whether something is shellac or varnish?
And why has my dog licked the finish off of areas on my 4-poster bed?
So I’m hoping to find some slop that will spruce things up and maybe fill in a few nicks and stuff–a do it yourself thing.
TIA.
Mr. Shoe and his mother both looooove old wooden items, and he usually uses paste wax like this one. Basically, you rub it in, then rub off the excess. Your items look dry because the wood drying out. I found some basic tipshere.
As an aside, we use food-grade mineral oil on our wooden kitchen utensils, which dry out from washing, and it’s amazing how nice they look after you’ve rubbed them down. 
Moved from GQ to IMHO.
samclem, MOderator
How come?
For allover there’s some goop called Restor-A-Finish made by a company called Howard. It’s available in assorted wood colors, but also Neutral. Check out your nearest independent hardware store, or woodworking store (why yes, I brought my soapbox to this thread, too). I used it on a well loved mahogany table. It did not suddenly look brand new, but much improved, and less thirsty.
For just touching up small scratches and nicks I heartily recommend Tibet Almond Stick.
I’ve used Formby’s Furniture Refinisher. This was on pieces that had more sentimental than monetary value. I assume the result of using something like this would be the Antique Roadshow-esque “This piece would have been worth a bazillion dollars if you’d left it alone, but now it’s not worth a plug nickel.”
Anyhoo, it worked well. It kind of cleaned the old finish but did not leave the piece stripped bare, if that makes sense.
It looks like you’re polling people for their individual opinions rather than asking for the one definitive true answer.
Is there ever one definitive true answer?
I respectfully request this be moved back to general questions.
Yes, mineral oil is supper for cutting boards and the like!
I went to your source and they don’t recommend polishes and whatnot which is why I specifically stated I don’t used that stuff.
I have some butchers wax. I reckon that’s the same?
I’ll check it out. Thanks.
I have what I believe is an Important Chair. Stamped GB. There’s a furniture maker from the 19th ? century with those initials whose work command good prices. ANyway, it’s not a piece I would touch.
When I got it, it was absolutely mint. Somebody thought they were doing me a favor by putting an upholstered seat with a wooden frame on it so it would be more comfy for me. Now there’s a gash in it. I can hear it know: “If it didn’t have that damage to the wood…” So I know what you mean about the Antique Road Show thing.*
*I have a funny story about my kid 'playing ARS if anybody cares to hear it.
So what then is furniture rubbing which I believe would handle something like worn areas* and fills them in with the smush from a product such as those suggested above.
*And why the hell does my dog like the finish of the mahogany bed?
And how do you know if a piece has been shellaced or varnished?
Cheers!
We refinished what we think is a '30s sideboard last year and had to figure out what the finish was to know how to strip it.
If you rub your item with a cloth dipped in denatured alcohol and the finish dissolves and starts to come off, it’s shellac and will be relatively easy to strip fully. (I say relatively; damned if that thing didn’t have a ton of little nooks and crannies…) If it kind of gets soft and sticky, it’s probably lacquer and will come off easier with lacquer thinner. If the alcohol does nothing to the finish, it’s varnish, and you’ll either need to sand it or use a really nasty stripping solution.
After we stripped ours and gave it a light sanding, we didn’t paint on a new finish but rubbed it with teak oil instead. It’s gorgeous walnut and zebrawood, which was virtually invisible under the old yellowed shellac. The teak oil practically makes it glow.
I couldn’t tell you what’s up with your dog.
Very interesting. Thank you.
Could you please define “strip fully?” I’m trying to avoid stripping. I think.
Years ago I had a guy out here to spruce up a wooden table base. He did a rubbing/smush thing. Cost me 400 bucks for 20 minutes and a damaged piece.* He did a quick light sand then polished it with something.
He also used a large brace–I guess to tighten/square the table off?
*The expert, unfortunately, failed to note the extendable table leaves leaving the formica top on one cracked. (Of course it was like that already.)