Formby's Furniture refinishing products, seeing the true grain is only possible when the wood is real.

My husband refinished an end table during the last few days. It was one I had purchased from a friend for a good price. Queen Anne legs and made of solid cherry wood. The problem was that over the years the finish had become scratched and worn. It just did not look fitting to be out. I had placed it in a yard sale some months ago; however, I was not willing to take 25 dollars for it, so it landed in the garage. My mother always had a furniture project going. With little money for nice things, she made do with given away treasures, roadside pick-ups, and cheap pieces with potential. I can still see the Formby's large tin can of stripper that stayed in the basement where she worked. When Bo mentioned refinishing the table I recalled the Formby's products. I had no idea if the products still existed but we started looking and found them. As we chose the particular steel wool to smooth the finish and the correct stain to reseal the table, it all started coming back to me. I can still see my mother's strong, stained fingers working endlessly on her most recent "diamond in the rough." She always took the time to do things right, no shortcuts or easy way out techniqes. When the product was ready for display it had been tightened, stripped, sanded, stained and given a satin finish. No there weren't many purchases of new furniture, only transformed gifts of old. As Bo completed the table, I could see the beauty in the grain of the cherry wood. It seemed so new and bright. Over the years the wax and wear had dulled the detail of the wood. He found out that the legs could be tighter with a few turns of the screws. Tonight it sits by our bed. When love is really real, I mean the good stuff, it changes with time and wear. It may become dull, worn, weak, forgotten, not as useful, but still around. Real love needs a refinish from time to time. It needs someone to examine it, inspect it's flaws and brokeness. Real love cannot be replaced with another item. It just won't serve the purpose. For a love to survive and replenish one must take the time to scrape off the stuff that has dulled it's glow. Take care and effort to sand away the dents, scratches, and tighten it's stand to hold the weight. Hands filled with love can take on old, misplaced piece of furniture and redeem it's glow, and purpose. THEN......the true grain of the wood will show through. Real wood and real love. No subsitute, no laminate, no particle board. Real. Lasting. Always found in the true grain.