Rabone 8" spirit level restoration

[Expensive sawdust]

I've inherited my GF's father's collection of hand tools and learning as I go in trying to restore them. I'm a bit stuck with this rather lovely 8" wooden spirit level with brass inlays. It's marked "J.Rabone & Sons Birmingham England" and "GUARANTEED CORRECT". (I imagine that guarantee's lapsed, cos it's definitely not correct now!)

Firstly I've been unable to turn any of the screws holding down the brass fittings. I don't want to put WD40 near it of course, but I've tried hammer taps and got nowhere except starting to mangle the screws. (I suspect they're brass too, but they're recessed below the plate they retain and I've not tried getting down to them.) I foolishly started polishing the brass in situ, inevitably Brasso's leaked onto some of the wood so I've stopped.

This is doubly annoying as I gather the vials (which are both intact) can be reseated to make them level -- at the moment it's quite a long way out of whack -- but the brass will have to come off before I can investigate that.

So, two questions:

1. Any ideas for getting those screws out without the wood, and preferably the screws either? (I don't have a drill press, drilling them out by hand would be an absolute last resort I think.)

2. The markings are very nicely done, and of course I don't want to lose them. Is there any way to cleam off the original oil or varnish without obliterating the markings? Or am I restricted to gently buffing with warm soapy water?

Any hints, tips or clues would be very welcome. I'd hate to mess it up, it's such a nice thing.

 

[AndyT]

Just answering Q2, the process for making the marks was to cut the lines by hand with a marking gauge and a t-square and knife. Numbers were stamped with punches. The marks were then made visible by rubbing in a mixture of oil and lamp black (ie fine soot) then polishing off the excess. Finally a coating of Shellac to seal it all.

So go gently. I suggest a damp rag is probably all you need.

Personally I'd leave the vials as they are and use a different level for actually checking anything, just keep this to enjoy.

 

[Bm101]

Hi Andrew are you using the Exact right size screwdriver head? If you have a yankee or a brace with a suitable head size that will give you far more purchase on the screwheads. At a pinch you can try rubber band between the two.
There is a good series of info threads on cleaning restoring old tools which used to be stickied. But you can find links to them for the moment at the end of this thread: List of threads which need to be stickified.

Go lightly in my opinion. You can't put patina back. If you want to strip it all back to bare wood and gleaming brass that's also up to you of course but it's worth noting that any saleable tool will lose money if its 'harshly' restored. Not that you want to sell this but it just looks nicer to most people treated as sympathetically possibly.
Good luck and enjoy! It's am enjoyable little pastime in itself, tool restoration.

 

[AJB Temple]

I also find that gunsmiths screwdrivers will often shift difficult screws as long as you use the right sized blade. Must fit snugly in the slot.