Q.     I have a friend who has graciously offered to lend me an antique wicker bassinet to use when my next baby arrives. It is very thoughtful of her but I have a concern about the paint on the wicker. Since the bassinet is so old I am sure that it has lead paint on it and I don't want to expose my children to it. Should I insist that it be repainted first?

A.     I hate to tell you but you and your children are exposed to lead paint everyday in any old building you go into or any old piece of painted furniture you touch. For the lead in that old paint to be of any threat at all your children would have to actually ingest large quantities of it over a period of years or breathe the dust in an occupational type environment. The lead paint scare is just that in most cases - a scare.

However if you feel uncomfortable about it just decline the offer because to repaint or strip that antique piece of wicker would destroy any collectors' value it might have.

Q.     I have been trying to strip a small cherry table for weeks. I am somewhat sensitive to certain chemicals so I am using one of the newer "green" strippers but it isn't doing anything at all. Are the "green" strippers a hoax?

A.     Some are of course but in general they do actually work - they just take longer in most cases. They do not employ many of the solvents found in traditional products so if you are sensitive to solvents you should stay with the newer formulations. They are not completely harmless however. Even though they contain fewer of the nasty chemicals we associate with strippers, the substance they remove will still contain any harmful elements originally included in the finish so be careful with the residue. While these new products are generally effective, though frustratingly slow, there are some finishes that greens won't strip, even if you work with them for years on the same surface. Milk paint is one of those finishes. Another is the modern polyester finish that showed up in the late 1980's. Many famous name-brand manufacturers went to polyester finishes because of its ease of application, high build characteristics and durability, especially on top surfaces. Properly cured polyester is almost impossible to strip with ANY stripper, not to mention a green one.

If your cherry table is less than 20 years old there is a good chance it has a polyester finish. One way to try to strip it is to use a methylene chloride based stripper. With a razor blade scrape through a section of finish on an edge and let the stripper get under the finish and break the bond with the wood. You can then peel away the plastic finish as it releases from the wood. However, if you cannot use the MC based stripper you should learn to love the finish that is on your table. You probably haven't hurt it yet.

Q.     The drawers in my mahogany chest are becoming increasingly difficult to get open and closed. I looked at the drawer sides and they are slightly worn but not too bad yet. They have been repaired at some time in the past with new pieces added. The chest is about 150 years old. Does this problem just come with a piece that old?

A.     Not necessarily. First try the simple solution. Lubricate the drawers. Some people prefer candle wax or soap but that is a temporary solution. To lube them properly spray the bottom edges of the drawer with a food grade silicone lubricant. You can get this safe, non-toxic, non-staining spray from an upholsterer or upholstery supply house. It is used in that trade to assist in sliding new fabric over tight pillows and cushions.

If that doesn't solve the problem check the runners inside the case of the chest. Since you mentioned that the drawers had been repaired previously it is possible that harder wood was used in the repair than originally intended in the drawers and it is wearing out the inside runners. Or it could be that some small nails used in the old repair are now exposed and are gouging out the runners. If the interior runners are worn, the solution, especially in mid 19th century cases is to remove the runners after carefully marking their position. Turn them over to the flat underside and reinstall them in their original positions. Now you have brand new runners made of the original material. That should solve the problem for your lifetime if you remember that the piece IS 150 years old and that the drawers should not be too overloaded.

      Fred Taylor's new book "HOW TO BE A FURNITURE DETECTIVE" is now available for $18.95 plus $2.00 S & H. Send check or money order for $20.95 to Fred Taylor, PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423.

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