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treating naugahyde to shine ? [message #20376]

Thu, 27 March 2014 21:55

vintagefan
Messages: 166
Registered: March 2014
Location: Dallas

Senior Member

I'm new here. Hope I'm in the right thread.

I acquired my first late 60's black K100C-8 4 speaker amp. Tuck n roll is in good condition but is flat looking as it has been stored 40 years. What should I use to make it shine? Does the naugahyde need any chemical to put moisture or oils in it to sustain it 's life and soften it up? By Googling I find sites saying soap & water to clean and spray furniture polish to shine it up. I'd be concerned using furniture polish and the naugahyde hardening & cracking. What about Armorall?... Where can I find the year of manufacture using it's serial #? I haven 't been able to find the info here using the search box. Thanks.

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Re: treating naugahyde to shine ? [message #20377 is a reply to message #20376]

Thu, 27 March 2014 22:33

oren hudson
Messages: 274
Registered: March 2008
Location: Gastonia, NC

Senior Member

Welcome vintage fan. Clean it good with any good cleaner including soap and water and a toothbrush. Armorall has worked well for me on naugahyde as well as tolex coverings. The key is too shake it up real good first, then, saturate. Let it set for 15 minutes or so, than wipe most of it. Leave a thin layer to "soak in" a little longer. Then wipe again. I always get outstanding results. Post the serial number of the head for help there. Cab may or may not have a number. Unless they've been changed, the best indicator for the cab is the speaker manufacture date. Should be a series of numbers on the magnet or outer frame consisting of about 5 to 7 numbers. Post those too. Have fun. Smile

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Re: treating naugahyde to shine ? [message #20380 is a reply to message #20376]

Fri, 28 March 2014 06:31

carlc
Messages: 143
Registered: July 2006
Location: Summerville, SC

Senior Member

I clean really good with Simple Green solution using a soft bristle tooth brush to get in the deep spots. Then I wipe down with Naptha VM&P which takes off anything that the Simple Green doesn't; the goo, paint, etc. After that I use Aerospace 3000 to give it a really good shine and coat of protection; great stuff!

Carl

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Re: treating naugahyde to shine ? [message #20381 is a reply to message #20376]

Fri, 28 March 2014 06:54

stevem
Messages: 4775
Registered: June 2004
Location: NY

Senior Member

I have always used the Amorall also and I have found that if you apply it and then leave the amp in the sun on a warm day the stuff gets way down into the pores and does an even better job!

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Re: treating naugahyde to shine ? [message #20382 is a reply to message #20381]

Fri, 28 March 2014 07:09

vintagefan
Messages: 166
Registered: March 2014
Location: Dallas

Senior Member

Thanks everybody.... I 'll post some serial #'s pretty soon.

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Re: treating naugahyde to shine ? [message #22148 is a reply to message #20376]

Sun, 18 January 2015 14:13

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

I was told some time ago that armoral would rot the stitching. Can't confirm that at all but just something I had heard

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Re: treating naugahyde to shine ? [message #22153 is a reply to message #22148]

Sun, 18 January 2015 21:34

oren hudson
Messages: 274
Registered: March 2008
Location: Gastonia, NC

Senior Member

slk854 wrote on Sun, 18 January 2015 14:13

I was told some time ago that armoral would rot the stitching. Can't confirm that at all but just something I had heard

Not that I've experienced in a bunch of years of doing that. Another product that I use is Mop'n Glo and such.

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Re: treating naugahyde to shine ? [message #22155 is a reply to message #20376]

Sun, 18 January 2015 23:17

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

I am with ya there. I even use armoral on plastic fenders on my fourwheeler. Best I can remember was like on vinyl seats that had stitching and were utility vehicals and the sun would react with the armoral and the threads. Who knows............

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Re: treating naugahyde to shine ? [message #22171 is a reply to message #22155]

Mon, 19 January 2015 22:53

Iowa Boy
Messages: 767
Registered: June 2014

Senior Member

Has anyone ever tried saddle soap or even a good leather conditioner? I've noticed that some of my black cabinets, the naugahyde seems hard and stiff. Simple green seems to also dissolve some of the coloring as well. I've done the Armor All also, but it seems to be a dust magnetic. I've tried a good paste wax and a buffer on low and have gotten excellent results.......beer even puddles up when some air head gets sloppy around my speakers.

[Updated on: Mon, 19 January 2015 23:01]

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Re: treating naugahyde to shine ? [message #22172 is a reply to message #20376]

Mon, 19 January 2015 23:50

slk854
Messages: 192
Registered: January 2015

Senior Member

Saddle soap would be the safest thing to use, as it is not a degreaser. A degreaser will dry out vinyl, and naugahide. I have used saddle soap on all of my tolex guitar cases, and had excellent results.

Steve

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Re: treating naugahyde to shine ? [message #22224 is a reply to message #22172]

Fri, 23 January 2015 23:53

Kustom_Bart
Messages: 601
Registered: October 2010
Location: Greenville, MichiGUN

Senior Member

I have went as far as using acetone to get out discoloration on silver before, you just have to be careful and know what you are doing. I wouldn't worry about drying it out with a cleaner, as you are going to armorall it or put some type of dressing on it to moisten and condition it anyway. Simple green is just a mild cleaner and works very well. You can even use dish soap and hot water and a scrub brush. I use some industrial stuff that I have that is bio degradable and you have to mix with water, but I mix it thin so it isn't as strong as it is supposed to be and it takes off years of smoke and grime. I use it close to full strength for the speaker grill and just tar and nicotine rolls off from them when you hose it off. They look like new when done. If you use simple gree on the grill after you take it out, take it to the car wash and blast it off.

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