Scraping Off The Crusty Old Finish | Refinishing A Mahogany Bookcase |Furniture Restoration & Repair

In this video I scrape the old finish off a mahogany bookcase and apply a lucious new finish.
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[@heyhope326]

Dashner: "This little speck of dust is out of place, I'll fix that quick." Seriously you do amazing work, nobody details like you, it's all "LET'S PAINT IT BEIGE!", the wood grain on this bookshelf is beautiful.

[@pamsheets632]

Turned out beautiful! The wood grain is so pretty! Awesome job! 😊

[@myacole]

Wow, that veneer is stunning. Glad you didn't use any other finishing product other than the shellac to alter its color. Looks fantastic.

[@karenstimson2683]

What gorgeous grain. You have such a gift for turning nondescript pieces of furniture into classics!

[@eddiekerbo]

GREAT explanation on the scrapers, I started using them after watching a few of your videos. Thank you so much for your videos, that bookcase turned out awesome!

[@stuartt455]

Beautiful job as always, bringing the warm and richness back to otherwise dull and lifeless wood.

[@loisbolton1800]

Really warm finish on a simple, satisfying little piece. Love your work 💖

[@peztopher7297]

I recently completed my first refurbishing, based on what I've learned from your videos. It was a thirty-year-old Stanley hand-me-down that I've had for most of the that time, originally for my very young son's room. We moved, he got a new dresser, and I used it in my dining area: linens in the drawers and plants and dishes displayed in the hutch. Ten years later I removed the hutch before moving again. Nine years later I want something else, so I decided to use it as my first project. I got a stripping tool and set of six double-sided blades that I've seen in some of your videos. The trouble was that the broad 'flat' blade was slightly curved at the very edges, so it would roll sometimes and I'd gouge the surface! So I had to use some filler a couple times. The dresser went back to my son (!) and he wanted it painted black, so it didn't show. I also used oxalic acid, just as a learning experience (as it wouldn't show under the paint), and repaired a water damaged section. Thanks for so much that I've learned from you! I'm looking for a new project. The thrift stores here in San Diego don't have such good deals... ☹

[@jamesbrewer9662]

Nice project, nice and small-scale. And as always---well-explained. Thanks.

[@leewood729]

Simple, straightforward refinishing. So nice.

[@pat_an466]

That was very enjoyable. And the bookcase came out really well - I liked the grain.

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

Thank you.

[@ЕленаКолесникова-х3г]

Классная реставррация,все сделано прекрасно,очень аккуратно и скрупулезно,заделаны все царапины и сколы.Вы всегда делаете ремонт в нутри ваших реставрируемых вещей,а это придает им завершенный вид. Результат,как всегда великолепный.Вы супер.❤❤❤❤❤

[@teret6719]

I really need that beautiful piece! Thanks for the video!

[@lancejames9228]

I look forward to these transformations so good to see someone who creates and restores Thank You Sir

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

Thank you.

[@fannycraddock99]

Another first class job Steven. They would look great in anyone's home.

[@furlvr1961]

Absolutely lovely! You did it again! ❤

[@yoanngrange]

"Just like life." 👌🏼👍🏼

[@thebigone6071]

Your videos are like the greatest videos known to man my homie!!! The 🐐 of woodworking!!!!!!

[@pitsnipe5559]

Beautiful! Better than brand new. 👍🏻

[@Fiddleback]

We have one exactly like that sitting in our living room. Its original use was as a bookshelf for a set of encyclopedias along with a complimentary set of Books of the Year. From somewhere in the mid to late 60s. The A-Z encyclopedias fit exactly into the space provided by the top shelf and about 12 to 13 years worth of BoYs into the bottom shelf. Everything neatly faced to the front edge of the shelf thanks to those rails at the back.

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

Thanks for the info. I was wondering what those rails in the back were for.

[@WaylanHL]

I also have one. Mine is a little deeper and had a slot in the top that an atlas slid down into behind the books. My grandparents bought it new. The books and atlas are long gone now. When I refinished it, I patched the hole in the top. Unfortunately I didn't get a good match.

[@cynthiafisher9907]

@@WaylanHLYou should have gotten a vintage encyclopedia set and an atlas instead!

[@ymottspice]

I would call that a shocking transformation, I had no idea that beautiful grain would be under that scratched and dinged up surface. You have the eye!

[@karenharris2880]

Really nice piece! Thanks for explaining about the scrapers. That method seems to be good for those old brittle finishes.

[@amybucher5439]

I agree with you about scrapers causing less damage than random orbital sanders. I am working on a dining table & although I try not to push down hard, replace my sanding pads often, and move the sander slowly I often get the squiggly lines. They show up when I put on stain. Ugg.

[@bigdinsa656]

This bookcase looks very familiar to me. I had a set of encyclopedias that came is that bookcase.

[@renefuqua4202]

Yep! Same! Encyclopedia Britannica

[@calgal8915]

We had one too at the end of the hallway. I used to sit on the floor and do reports with the encyclopedias. Wow, blast from the past.

[@br6480]

Such a beautiful pattern in the veneer. Lovely little bookcase that I would be proud to have in my home.

[@bluecurlygirl]

It looks so much better now. Always a pleasure Dash. Thanks a million.

[@PeterRabbit000]

A real beauty, and so straightforward a design!

[@gypsygirltarot2451]

I love that caramel brown color!

[@midcenturyflipper]

Great job!! Im working on a Danish coffee table right now.

[@pimpmyfurniture9300]

My grandmother did all her scraping with the edge of a piece of glass. She grew up in the depression and really knew how to reuse and repurpose. You can always find a free pane of glass or an old mirror. She would break off a piece big enough to hold and scrape using all sides until it was worn down, then just break off another piece.

[@masondellacucci7879]

Thank you for such an informative video. I’m going to refinish a Danish Rosewood nightstand with your helpful tips on scraping. The finish is destroyed but the wood looks great underneath. Thanks, Dash!

[@larrynelson3329]

Pretty. Thanks for posting.

[@Shuggysmama]

Outstanding, beautiful job!❤😊

[@valeriehowden471]

Who knew a spider could make refinishing easier?

[@kirbeast46]

Butterfly effect 😱

[@lmiller1413]

As long as it wasn't a bed bug

[@cellgrrl]

Gorgeous result! The timing of this video is perfect for me as I had recently decided to scrape off the finish from my kitchen table. I have never done it before so your explanation helps so much. Thank you!

[@ProSimex84]

I've used the damp cloth and soldering iron trick on canoe gunwales I've installed for a customer. It feels like cheating almost. We use epoxy mixed with filler and cherry dust to fix mistakes, or repair old parts that are salvageable. When installing epoxy Kevlar skid plates we often wet our hand to rub them down smooth after the epoxy starts to harden. And if you buff wood with brown paper before you finish it, it looks amazing

[@cynthiafisher9907]

Wow, it’s beautiful!

[@GabbyPaynter]

"Life is life scraping an old cabinet" 😄😊

[@BigGoucho]

Less is definitely more sometimes. Another great video 🙂🍺🍻

[@LewHarriman]

Thanks for the reminder that utility blades work quite well as scrapers for removing finish. Economical, too!

[@sfn4702]

😊 a classic, straightforward piece. Nice work!!

[@jodidavis6595]

Simple piece of furniture yet looks very desirable. So nice 👍🏼

[@lazygardens]

I've seen quite a few of those bookcases. I think they came with encyclopedia sets. Great size!

[@jraglob5924]

Have you considered rounding the edges on your large scraper? This works well on hand planes to preventing “digging in” while planing.

[@scottreeves1226]

I love mahogany which is left to be the color of mahogany. Thanks.

[@alanatolstad4824]

The scraping sound is what sets my teeth on edge. ---It's very soothing to me to hear the ambient background noises of Minneapolis. I didn't get to the ND Farmstead this year, but I'm cruising the Mississippi later this month, stopping a few days to see the Mall, & visit with a cousin who lives up there!---Lovely ending. Does that beauty have a designation yet?

[@varinaxoxo4213]

Simply beautiful💯💯💯

[@jedimasterham2]

It looks great! You should consider getting a sticker with your name/company and date of restoration. This type of extra stuff goes a long way when selling.

[@traceyrice]

I love this one! great job! 💜

[@ghostofkadesh9041]

Nice work, as always 😃👍

[@TundeEszlari]

Sensational video.

[@wjm9987]

very nice - looks like a book case for encyclopedias...

[@nancyanneberg403]

What a good refinish ,the color being so satisfying. Thank you for these details described. I am redoing a large dresser of mahagony ,at first thinking of painting or bleaching out the red or doing a paint wash ..... your bookcase however is so attractive

[@sarahrenfrow9795]

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing

[@kathyandthedogs626]

Love this!!!

[@Adamsoutventures]

Who else waits for the "Thanks for watching" at the end?😂 Beautiful restoration as always 🤜🤛

[@Thepourdeuxchanson]

I do - I pause the video so I can linger longer on the end result.

[@inbrightonwithlill4271]

Hi! I’ve been watching for many years & love all your work - inspiring. I would love to see you refinish a church pew. What do you think? Possibly?

[@leslieblackshear802]

Gorgeous

[@tomcurtis197]

The ant crawling up the side scared the crap out of me! Lol😂😂😂

[@wendyhale2189]

It’s an Encyclopedia Britannica bookcase. We had one just like it when I was a kid.

[@cathyb2204]

A scraper question: Do you sharpen/hone your large scraper? Or does the carbide keep it's edge "indefinitely" for finish scraping?

[@corinne_vintage]

The blades can be sharpened, but also just replaced if you don't feel confident DIY sharpening. They have to be sharpened flat so they don't gouge the wood and scrape as wide as the blade rather than only using a portion of the surface. Of course, you can find how-tos here on KZbin! (I'm sure they can be taken to a pro who can sharpen properly too.)

[@kentshrader6616]

Would you consider making a video on how to sharpen a scraper?

[@magorzatamichalik7078]

Ach! jaki piękny mebel, dzięki Tobie. Dziękuje

[@corinne_vintage]

What a little cutie. Now you can be kind of a big deal with many leather-bound books and an apartment that smells of rich mahogany.

[@KaedeSenou]

You are the first guy I’ve seen doing restoring who’s used super glue.😂

[@lissataylor12345]

3 hours in and you have 800 likes ~ 23% that’s incredibly high. I enjoy all your videos. Thanks

[@dpmeyer4867]

good job

[@Hall102]

I'm pretty sure that bookcase was sold in the 1950s to hold a set of Encyclopedia Brittanica. My parents purchased a set and I have it with the bookcase that looks exactly like this one.

[@robbiemer8178]

Excellent as usual. Thanks for sharing this with us! If you collected all the finish you scraped off, could you use isopropyl alcohol to sort of "reconstitute" it and use that as the restored finish?

[@tachi98lep]

Nice little bookcase for 15.00 dollars!

[@MegRichards-z5y]

I had a smaller one of these shelves - I believe they were possibly made for Encyclopaedias in the day.

[@katharinatrub1338]

Real Magic! When yo say 'Steel-wool and Wax to finish it off', do you put the wax right on the Steelwool ? This Bookcase looks great !

[@stacy1016]

Lovely bookcase, and an enjoyable video. Do you avoid pieces with mold, or is there something you use on old wood furniture that has mold? Does scraping the finish reduce that? I don't remember seeing any of your videos address furniture with mold.

[@r.k.2823]

As always, another beautiful refinish. 👍

[@deniseschmitz4072]

General Question: what glue syringes do you use? I'm not having much luck. Love your channel and your practical approaches!

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

Thanks. I got the syringe at Rockler.

[@carolbulmer8253]

Gorgeous👏👏👏👏👏

[@patboudotlamot]

simple ET efficace

[@JohnBerthoty]

NIce

[@andljoy]

Looks good, always struggle to understand why people get rid of furniture like that, with a little know how and time and some materials you can fix it up so it will last another lifetime. But no, people just get rid and buy rubbish from ikea. Good for people like us i guess.

[@metodemersic]

Here in Europe, a lot of people use broken glass pieces for scraping. It's an old trick, so i heard.

[@jglow8337]

Ingenious!

[@micdeleon]

I don't know why, but you always make me nervous when you only use one glove... LOL

[@ramrod5972]

What brand of epoxy putty do you use?

[@Morpha-Ahprom]

💖

[@johnblackburn2060]

When did you sand?

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

@@johnblackburn2060 I think it was Tuesday just after lunch.🥪

[@pattianndt8086]

What is he doing with the soldering iron, paper towel and water on those dents?

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

He’s making the dents come back up to the surface.

[@mother_tucker]

Solid monogamy😂

[@mpoirier101]

Have you tried "Soda Blasting" ?

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

I haven't tried it.

[@vmoutsop]

If people use cabinet scrapers to get an incredible finish on raw wood, why would they think that scraping off finish ruins the wood?

[@Lee-dq2lw]

That's not a spider😂 but then I am australian

[@debbiemelton4426]

Beautiful!

[@mirothiel8039]

I needed to relax, opened KZbin, new Dashner video. Just what I needed. Thank you sir. Beautiful work.

[@chrisp.76]

It looks so much better. I love the wood grain.

[@mm9773]

Couldn’t agree more about scrapers: very handy to have a good collection for different purposes and surfaces - not just for removing finish, but also for a number of different household tasks. The carbide scrapers are worth it, but a simple blade often does the trick, too. Anything with a continuous, straight edge can be useful. Some people - professional woodworkers and restorers - use a piece of glass with a sharp, straight edge. And scrapers are the least wasteful tools: sandpaper clogs up and needs to be replaced (and sanding is dustier than scraping), and while chemical strippers obviously have their advantages, they need to be disposed of, while a scraper just goes back into the drawer.

[@caroltanzi29]

A real nice addition to a home. I have one that is double that size in my storage that I’m getting ready to bring to my studio. One can always use bookcases. I have a hunch mine is from the 70’s though. Carol from California

[@kentshrader6616]

As I begin restoring furniture I find your instructional videos very helpful! Your tips on using a scraper, for example, were very helpful. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@jong2359]

For the superglue and sand-dust trick, have you ever tried to cut in a little bit of baking soda? The baking soda adds a little bit of a light powdery look to superglue, and it might just match correctly after sanding compared to just straight glue+dust.

[@susankay497]

Lovely job👍

[@katherineharper-sj4ys]

Lovely as always. Thanks for sharing.

[@DashnerDesignRestoration]

Thanks for watching.

[@karolinawnuk4220]

Im always amazed at the quality of sound recording that you do. You have a lovely voice too, which makes your videos stand out from others on the platform

[@Just_JoshE]

As a preface; I’m a woodworker by trade, and do this for a living. Regarding the scraper and sanding questions- there’s no right or wrong way to do this. There’s no standard. If the result is good then the methods were good. There’s thousands of ways to make a repair. Whatever works best for you is the best method.