How best to refinish this 1930 steering wheel?

[Texas Tom]

The attached photos show the original steering wheel from the 1930 town sedan that I'm restoring.

The wheel is in excellent physical condition, with no cracks or chips. About half the surface, however, is discolored.

What's the best way to restore the finish to "factory new" appearance? In its current state, the wheel has a "much used" appearance.

Thanks for any advice/suggestions you may have.

Texas Tom

[peters180a/170b]

Not bad for not being a soy-bean wheel...Try black shoe polish...

[1930 coupe]

black india ink then black paste shoe polish

[ctlikon0712]

Look for the thread "best paint for refinishing steering wheel". A few of the more experienced people on this blog give some good advice.

[Marco Tahtaras]

Originally Posted by ctlikon0712

Look for the thread "best paint for refinishing steering wheel". A few of the more experienced people on this blog give some good advice.

If he can get by without painting the steering wheel it can look like a real one instead of a repro. I wouldn't paint one unless it had to have repair work such as patching chips or cracks, in which case it would be for someone else!

With that said here is a link to the recommended thread. It indeed has merit since Craig Lewis (post #11) addresses the issue with the same, so called "soy bean" type steering wheel.

[ctlikon0712]

I agree Marco, the thread I mentioned was started by Texas Tom about the same subject. Gar, Tom W, and you responded in kind to the question even with pictures.
http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...steering+wheel

[Logan]

I'm sure we dont do it the "correct way or judging standards way. But we are about to do a wheel at work, i sanded it down with 400 wet, and im pretty sure we're gonna spray it black base then clear over it, so it doesnt wear off.

[Rich in Tucson]

I would clean it with diluted ammonia or "Oil Eater" Cleaner and Degreaser with Extremely light pressure with a very used (meaning worn out and soft) 3M-type pad and used nylon-toothed tooth brushes. This will start to take off the years of accumulation of organic gunk from fingers and palms, boogers, and take out. You will then be able to see what is wheel and what is crud form human hands as the organic crap will stand out and can be scraped off with appropriate soft implements. Keep going over areas with soft scrapers and fresh white paper towels until you no longer see the vile (yellow and brown) stains of human organic residue. Let really dry as in let several days go by in nice Arizona 9% humidity and then if you wish rub on and in a paste wax or my favorite "Renaissance" micro-crystalline bee's wax (what museum restoration folks use). Here is one - http://richwhalen.smugmug.com/Applie...8686&k=zT3NG2w

[Rich in Tucson]

I would clean it with diluted ammonia or "Oil Eater" Cleaner and Degreaser with Extremely light pressure with a very used (meaning worn out and soft) 3M-type pad and used nylon-toothed tooth brushes. This will start to take off the years of accumulation of organic gunk from fingers and palms, boogers, and take out. You will then be able to see what is wheel and what is crud form human hands as the organic crap will stand out and can be scraped off with appropriate soft implements. Keep going over areas with soft scrapers and fresh white paper towels until you no longer see the vile (yellow and brown) stains of human organic residue. Let really dry as in let several days go by in nice Arizona 9% humidity and then if you wish rub on and in a paste wax or my favorite "Renaissance" micro-crystalline bee's wax (what museum restoration folks use). Here is one - http://richwhalen.smugmug.com/Applie...8686&k=zT3NG2w

[Rich in Tucson]

I would clean it with diluted ammonia or "Oil Eater" Cleaner and Degreaser with Extremely light pressure with a very used (meaning worn out and soft) 3M-type pad and used nylon-toothed tooth brushes. This will start to take off the years of accumulation of organic gunk from fingers and palms, boogers, and take out. You will then be able to see what is wheel and what is crud form human hands as the organic crap will stand out and can be scraped off with appropriate soft implements. Keep going over areas with soft scrapers and fresh white paper towels until you no longer see the vile (yellow and brown) stains of human organic residue. Let really dry as in let several days go by in nice Arizona 9% humidity and then if you wish rub on and in a paste wax or my favorite "Renaissance" micro-crystalline bee's wax (what museum restoration folks use). Here is one - http://richwhalen.smugmug.com/Applie...8686&k=zT3NG2w

[700rpm]

Remember that original wheels were not shiny.

[Craig Lewis]

As referenced already, I used fine sandpaper and the stains powdered off like a coating of dead skin. You can see and feel when you're through the crud.
Rub in some common furniture oil from the local grocer/hardware store & polish with a dry rag.
I ain't no expert, but something about this dull satin finish feels SO much "righter" than paint.

[AL in NY]

After repairing a chip and a couple of cracks due to someone trying the remove the steering wheel with a hammer, I sanded it using 400 grit paper then spray painted it with Krylon satin black enamel, a nice (not too shiny finish). Looks good to me, much better then before, IMHO.

[RonC]

If it were mine I would lightly clean and try an use as is. Once it's painted it loses it's originality

[Brentwood Bob]

Very nice original Wheel. Bob