STRIPPIN'

Now, now, get your minds out of the gutter.  I've got to keep this blog 99% clean.  My mom, dad, mother-in-law and occasionally my nine year old daughter read it.  I'm speaking of paint stripping, of course.  Let me back up for a moment and admit that I think I may have a disorder called ADD (Attention Decorating Disorder).  Anyone else have this problem?  It's where you start on one project, then swiftly move to another, maybe come back to the first project momentarily, then move on to a third project.  The first step is admitting it, not sure what to do from there, but I'm thinking a support group involving wine might be helpful.

Moving on, Sunday as soon as we got home from church (while still in my church clothes), I decide to start stripping the paint off some old brass door hardware.  I thought I had some chemical paint stripper in the garage, but no such luck.  A quick google search told me I had everything I needed in my cabinets.

I simply put the hardware in an old pan and covered it with white vinegar.  I brought it to a boil and let it boil for about ten minutes.  I forgot to take a before picture, but this is what it looked like while cooking.

Here it is all cooked up and ready to be stripped. 

I used a flat head screw driver to scrape the paint off.  It came off with little effort. 

The piece to the left has been stripped, but not shined.  I used steel wool on the piece on the right to shine it up.  I read about a product called Brasso that brings the shine back to brass.  I'm actually loving the tarnished look so I think I'll let it be.

Here it is all shined up and installed.  

This hardware is about 73 years old.

Doesn't look too shabby, does it? 

The newly stripped hardware went on this french door.
The door finally has a doorknob on it (after almost two years).  A.D.D. I tell you!
I would have taken a new picture with the hardware on, but then I would have had to clean up the office.

Next up, the hinges and the rest of the hardware on these doors 

will meet their fate with me, a pan and some boiling hot white vinegar.  

Of course, that might happen next week, or perhaps next year.  Who knows, but in the meantime,

 who wants to join my A.D.D. (Attention Decorating Disorder) support group?