Bravo, great play by play on the cleaning methods. I'm doing the same right now to a 1960 arch bar Hercules badged Hawthorne. Inherited it from an old friend/neighbor and giving it to another old friend in his late 60s who rides a bit and grew up in Dublin Ireland so it's just the kind of bike he and his brothers would have had access to. They knew how to lacquer a frame back then and it's cleaning up nicely. You've inspired me to attack those white grips and cable sheaths now.
The wonders of WD40 and 0000 Steel Wool.
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And good old simple green with a brass brush.
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