This antique oak wash stand with mirror was brought to me for refinishing. The finish was too dark and the shellac was in bad shape. My customer wanted to use this piece in the same room as several others I'd done for him. 

I stripped the finish and sanded the exterior to prepare for the new finish.  I replaced the old door knobs with brass knobs, and the missing drawer pulls with new brass pulls, which the customer selected. I removed the tarnished brass door hinges and cleaned them using a brass bristle brush and lemon juice. Three of the four wooden casters were missing and were replaced with reproduction wooden casters. The old mirror swivels were badly tarnished so I cleaned them using a brass bristle brush and lemon juice.

Ridding the drawer interior of the musty smell it had required applying a coat of fresh shellac. To insure smooth operation when opening and closing, I rubbed the bottom edges of the drawer with paraffin wax and also waxed the drawer guides.

Once the sanding was complete, I began applying the numerous coats of Watco Danish oil and rubbing them in.  I finished up with a few applications of a good paste wax and a final buffing.

Below is a list of thumbnail photos you can click on for a larger view. 

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