Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ
The authoritative public forum
for Metal Finishing since 1989
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Gillespie Antique Restorer
Quickstart Oct. 2024:
Gillepie Antique Restorer was discontinued decades ago. If you feel that you absolutely must have this product, and aren't concerned about paying boutique prices, or shelf life problems, your best bet may be eBay:
Gillespie Antique Restorer
on eBay
(affil link)
... but you can try other sites like Etsy or Craigslist. Please don't post offers to buy or sell on this informational site! Apologies, but this site would drown under traffic and spam in a week if we offered to do for free what eBay earned a billion dollars charging for last year :-)
Q. HELLO, I AM LOOKING FOR A PRODUCT, WHICH I HAVE A LITTLE OF, CALLED "ANTIQUE RESTORER" BY GILLESPIE PRODUCTS. IT IS FOR WOOD CLEANING AND RESTORATION, AND I CANNOT FIND IT IN STORES AND HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN MY WEB SEARCHES. OR PERHAPS YOU MIGHT SUGGEST A SUITABLE REPLACEMENT. THANKS FOR YOU HELP IN ADVANCE!
DOUG CURTISANTIQUE NUT - TAYLORSVILLE, Kentucky, USA
2006
Ed. note: As for replacements, putting "antique restorer" into google suggests Kramer's, Milsec, Minwax, Howard's Restor-a-Finish and more.
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Q. Just wondering if you have had any luck in locating this product? I am having the same problem! Shannon Mitchell- Stockton, California, USA Q. I am having the same problem. Any luck locating Gillespie's Antique Restorer? JoDee DeCleene- De Pere, Wisconsin USA Q. I also have had no luck ... I saved the box. My mother is very interested in finding the product. It was produced by M.W. Barr Company, Memphis, Tennessee, which was a private company which was sold to its employees in 1996. It now produces Kleanstrip products. I do not see any current listings by this company for an antique restorer. We are attempting to contact the company. Darlene Perkins- Oneida, New York Q. I am trying to locate the Gillespie Antique Restorer for my dad & am having no luck. Peggy Dunson Bower- Enid, Oklahoma, US |
A. I found a website that has different Gillespie Products listed. They have a product from Gillespie that is called Restor-A-Finish. I am not sure if this is the one that I used before called "antique restore" or not. I have an email sent to the company questioning this. If you want to check it out go to: www.candhsupplyco.com/catalog/indexpage90.htm ⇩
Good Luck to everyone I have been looking at least 2 years for the same product and just got lucky today.
- York, Pennsylvania
Ed. update: That domain now goes to a site in Chinese. Don't go there :-(
Hackers are quick to buy up expired links as an easy way to get visits to sites where they may install malware on your computer.
A. I went to the W.M. Barr Co. web site and see that they still offer Gillespie Products. I sent them an e-mail to find out if Antique Restorer is still being made.
Brian McCarty
- Richfield, Ohio, USA
2007
Q. I am also trying to find an item by "Gillespie Since 1824" -
It is called 'Wood Renew - Scratch Cover'. The product number is RD-75 and also marked 1996 W.M. Barr & Co. Inc., Memphis, Tennessee 38101-1879.
Has anyone heard of it or seen it?
- Plainfield, Illinois, USA
2007
Q. Where can I buy Gillespie antique restorer?
Mary Beau- Green Bay, Wisconsin
September 1, 2010
Q. I HAVE BEEN USING GILLESPIE ANTIQUE RESTORER, PRODUCT AI-230, MADE BY WM BARR WHICH I BOUGHT MANY YEARS AGO AT WAL MART AND NOW CANNOT FIND ANYMORE. IT HAS A SMELL OF LINSEED OIL AND LIKE A PHOENIX RESTORED MY HONEY OAK FINISHED KITCHEN CABINETS AND NEVER-ENDING STAIRWELLS THAT SUFFERED FROM SIGNIFICANT SUN BLEACHING, THE CHANGE IN THE APPEARANCE OF THE WOOD FINISH WAS NOTHING SHORT OF MIRACULOUS WHEN I USED IT LAST WEEK. CAN ANYONE GIVE ME THE NAME OF A SIMILAR OR BETTER PRODUCT AS I AM BASICALLY CLUELESS. THANKS.
ALLAN AVBEL- WALLA WALLA, Washington USA
April 16, 2013
Hello fans of this product! WOW! I was online trying to find info on it and what the retail price is! None listed on eBay , then found this thread. So, I have an unused bottle 16 oz I bought at a thrift shop. BN in box: "Gillespie Antique restorer. AI-230". Just curious though, what did this retail for? (wondering if I got good deal or not). Thank you.
- Lexington, South Carolina USA
December 22, 2017
A. Years ago when I was trying to find this product again myself I was able to locate it through Sherwin-Williams paint store but I had to buy a case at a time, it was a little over $100.
Maria Alonzo- St Louis, Missouri
September 27, 2018
Q. My brother purchased Gillespie Wood Cleaner and lemon oil wood treatment at a Sherwin Williams in La Grange Ky. I live in Northern Ky and SW didn't carry it and never heard of it. Tried Amazon and eBay, no luck. If my sister in law is lucky enough to purchase it, will let you know.
Mona Smith- Alexandria, Kentucky
November 2, 2018
Q. Looking desperately for Gillespie antique restorer.
Ross Kelleyrestorer - Ticonderoga, New York
June 28, 2021
A. It really was a great product and I can understand some people's obsession with getting more. It makes the currently available products (like Howard's) look pathetic. As has been noted previously, it is no longer available ... and hasn't been for at least a decade. But -- although it worked well -- it contained numerous VOC's and other nasties that the government frowns upon: methyl alcohol, acetone, methylene chloride, toluene, petroleum distillates and tung oil ⇨
Many of these have serious health risks and I would imagine it was discontinued due to liability concerns and EPA regulations.
hobbyist - Northeastern, Georgia
October 4, 2021
Ed. note: Methylene chloride is horrible stuff. Be sure to google "epa methylene chloride" before using any product with it.
RFQ: Did you ever find a source for Gillespie? I need some badly. I'm trying to restore a rocking chair my grandfather gave me on my first birthday (60 years ago). I've used Gillespie to work miracles in the past but I can't find it anywhere. I need a miracle for this!
Tamie Olmsted- Cincinnatus New York
September 14, 2022
Ed. note: Sorry, this RFQ is old & outdated, so contact info is no longer available. However, if you feel that something technical should be said in reply, please post it; no public commercial suggestions please ( huh? why?)
A. That was really a great product ... but it has been discontinued for probably 15 or 20 years now. Most likely they succumbed to EPA regulations over volatile components in the product. There was a new, old stock can on Etsy a few years ago that sold for $40! Unfortunately, many great products have gone by the wayside due to government regulations - or have been "reformulated" into products that no longer work.
JG Jackson- NE Georgia
March 29, 2023
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