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US Mail Cycle Truck

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Thanks for the compliments, and it's great to see some pics of the other well-loved Cycle Trucks out there! The air mail sign is especially cool. I'll look into the BLO. I just don't want to see her rust away into a pile of dust, lol.

I'll post some pics of the track bikes in the international bikes forum, tying up some loose ends on an old HVZ right now.
Iv'e used Marvels Mystery oil and have good results with this product.. It gives the old paint a slight sheen to it and will preserve the paint too.. Good looking Cycle Truck.. Good luck and RideOn..
 
I've used BLO on my teens Pierce. We live a block from salt water so high humidity and rust are constants. Used BLO many times back in the 80s and 90s working on the late 19th and early 20th century wooden boats at National Park Service Maritime Historical Park. It's commonly used in the antique tool community on both metal and wood surfaces. Baked on metal in teh oven brings restores the original Japaned finish on old tools.

I cut it about 4 to 1 with turpentine to make it thinner , made a pounce by wadding up a piece of shirt in another square with a rubber band. Just drizzle some on the pounce and rub down the metal surfaces. Come back in half an hour or so and wipe down with clean rag to pick up excess until it has the sheen you like. It will feed the paint since it's a major component of oil based paints going back centuries.

Here it is after BLO, very low sheen and a nice lustre to the paint that I like without the white spots paste wax can leave in nooks and crannies and rough edges where paint is gone. Give it a test on the bottom bracket or under a fender first. Have fun!
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Sooo much work that has to be done on a regular basis for a frequent rider .... I will post my modern day frame before dark that was sprayed with the polyurethane years ago. A Then built bike & Now a frame.

I understand traditional & if it works but I swear there's easier & better methods if you're simply wanting to stop & preserve the age it has
 
Sooo much work that has to be done on a regular basis for a frequent rider .... I will post my modern day frame before dark that was sprayed with the polyurethane years ago. A Then built bike & Now a frame.

I understand traditional & if it works but I swear there's easier & better methods if you're simply wanting to stop & preserve the age it has
Can you and have you removed polyurethane without damaging the original paint on a bike?
 
Can you and have you removed polyurethane without damaging the original paint on a bike?
Why would you remove it? The whole idea is to preserve it as you have it. So that means you've done your little wd40 #0000 rubs, your oxalic acid bath, and you want to stop there.

BLO is boiled linseed Oil & thinner correct?

Does it Not dry out & evaporate? Hence the reason it has to be a repeated process?

The cycle truck OP posted he states
"What would you guys recommend as far as preserving paint/patina?"

That is Every Reason I suggest this.

Now I haven't looked into removing polyurethane on this frame I speak of because I have had no desire to change it. It has not had no valuable paint & I intentionally took it to bare metal before making it rust the way I wanted it.

No smart ass offense meant to anyone but why keep rubbing the same old technique when you can finish it once 🤔
 
So essentially the polyurethane would be like putting a clear coat over original paint?
Not exactly. It's absorbed or at least the rusty faux bike I did seemed to soak it into the outer layer. Now as I stated I didn't use a semi gloss or gloss so I can't say 💯% but with the matte you damn near couldn't tell it was being put on. I mean take 1 part like a guard & give it a test run. Pick matte, semi gloss & or gloss polyurethane in a spray can & test run it for yourself. Worse case try it on on spare metal you wanna keep a little faux created rust on, try it on an old painted part 🤷🏻‍♂️

Not saying BLO doesn't work but I feel like so many people doubt anything that May Work Better, Longer etc if nobody puts it out there.
 
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