Closing the stretcher - leg joint
If that joint is open, the parallel joints at the top of the legs are probably loose too. So to fix it right I would try to disassemble the legs where there are loose joints. Then the clean the joints and remove any old glue inside the joint as the new glue won't stick well to old glue. Dry fit the joints to make sure everything fits together tightly. Then glue (I like tight bond 3) and clamp it very tightly so that you squeeze out as much glue as possible. The clamping is the step I usually see people ignore, and the step that makes the whole process worth doing as a thin tight glue joint will be very strong and a wide one will be very weak.
Thanks Leif!
I am having problems with Flickr posting images of the dark spots on top so I am giving up for now.
Thanks for the input with regards to the re-gluing/clamping of the stretchers to the legs. I would definitely clamp if I reglued.
I do have a lovely woodworker in my area that I am sure can make me a new pull so I might have him take on the above work if I feel that it is out of my grasp to do well.
The top has some dark spots on it and some small dings so I wasn't sure if I could lightly sand all over and re-oil or if to just leave it just the way it is.
thankgs again for all of your expertise!
My favorite method for oil-fi...
My favorite method for oil-finished wood reconditioning is to apply Howard's Restore-a-Finish Neutral with 0000 steel wool, followed by Howard's Feed-N-Wax. It is a good easy one-two combo for amateurs like me. The RAF/0000 with a little elbow grease will 1) remove grime, 2) lighten-remove many stains, 3) "dissolve" many light scratches, and 4) add a nice satin sheen to dull old finishes, all without removing the existing patina. The FNW will add some shine with a little wax protection.
This method is not for poly finishes.
The top of your unit looks perfect for such a treatment. As always, test on an inconspicuous area first.
Thanks CD Silva
I haven't heard of using the wax on oil based finishes. In the past I have used a fine sandpaper (some of you will cringe when I say that)to remove some of the topical residue, then Watco danish oil.
This piece does not have a poly coat on it,
thanks for your ideas!
Feed-n-Wax is comprised of...
Feed-n-Wax is comprised of orange oil, beewax, and carnuba wax; so does provide an oil finish, just with a little wax protection built in. After a few days, the orange smell and waxy feel are gone, and the wood has a nice natural feel to it.
The 0000 steel wool is rough enough to smooth out the finish and remove grime without removing the actual surface finish (like sandpaper would). Scrub a little harder and longer over the white paint spots with the Restore-a-finish. A sharp blade can always be used to gently scrape off any tough spots.
Watco is a fine choice, but not a very pleasant smell to work with.
Brass drawer pulls
I just noticed that the other Troeds "Oden" sideboards have brass knobs that are exactly the same shape as your teak ones.
Which is an odd inconsistency.
It makes me wonder if yours originally had brass knobs, and the present teak knobs are not original.
Or that maybe this could be a custom piece commissioned stylistically to match the Nils Jonsson for Troeds "Oden" sideboard, but in a different overall shape, and the cabinetmaker couldn't find brass pulls so he turned teak ones. If, however, it is a custom piece the cabinetmaker did an incredibly good job matching every other minor construction detail I can see in the photos, which to my mind argues against it being a custom piece.
Still Searchin'
I looked through every image of Peter Hvidt's body of work on the designmuseum.dk's website and saw nothing close to this cabinet.
I also have been searching Nills Jonsson for Troeds as well as Hvidt & Molgaard images on several search engines and all seem to lack the cone knobs and the method of joinery all over (even the drawers)so I am still unsure if either can be attributed to this piece. Good point about the pulls however I think these are original to the piece.
thanks again for any input...I love it even without a pedigree!
Despite my suggestion
that it resembles Peter Hvidt works in the joinery and solid teak, I do not think that it is Peter Hvidt. The handles are wrong, and Peter Hvidt didn't vary his handles on any sideboard I've yet seen (and I've seen quite a few).
If you google image search: "troeds jonsson oden" you will see a variety of the "Oden" sideboard by Nils Jonsson for Troeds. None of them are exactly the same in shape, but all the details look right (except the odd exception of the brass vs teak handles). the corner joinery, the circular draw pull concavity, the front edge of the cases, and the legs.
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