Unfortunately, when we came across this set of
wheels, it had one major drawback. It
had been coated with a thick and extremely heavy, creosote-like substance. On top of the hardened deposits, another
dense, sticky layer of linseed oil had been added. Not only was it impossible to determine the
condition of the wood beneath the unsightly mass, but I had serious
reservations as to whether any of this unnatural and invasive shroud could be
reversed. Nevertheless, we took a
chance, hoping against hope that we might discover a way to rescue this piece from
its tomb of tar.
While we’ve had some positive results when removing secondary
paint coatings, concentrated linseed oil, and other ill-advised applications on
other vehicles, this Schuttler provided the ultimate test. The good news is that we’ve been incredibly
successful in uncovering the original, surviving paint of this wagon. The photos above show some of the progress on the rear hounds and brake hanger. As the dark and dirty gunk began coming off, we
quickly discovered a fair amount of century-plus-old paint along with some blue
and white striping, skein size information, and numbers stamped into the reach,
axles, hounds, and bolsters. I’ve seen
similar four-character numbers on other Schuttler vehicles and
have briefly entertained them as part numbers.
Since all of the numerals on this gear are an exact match and also located on
almost every section of the gear, it’s possible that they may be an order
number. Ultimately, it’s one more
question we’re working on answers to with this legendary manufacturer.
So, after roughly 25-30 hours of meticulous work,
the business of liberating this Schuttler from its shell is almost
finished. Immediately above and below are the near-finished results. We’ve been fortunate to find
so much original paint and all of the wood has turned out to be solid. For the moment, I’ve kept the left front
wheel in the same state as the entire gear was found. It’s a visible reminder of how easy these connections
to our past can be lost. Equally
noteworthy, the finished piece is an enduring symbol of the rewards of rescuing
history. For more information on this
rare wagon, drop us a line at info@wheelsthatwonthewest.com