Pics of '54 k-horn and question for HDBR builder

[k2dx]

Here are some pictures of my '54 k-horn. This is the speaker I drove from NJ to St. Louis to bring home rather than trust shipping! 1900 miles. Guess I am obsessed. It looked so good on ePay and I actually

didn't think I would get it. I set a self imposed limit and probably the planets were aligned properly

because I got it.

The only thing I find not original is the tweeter, it has been replaced with a k77 (8ohm). I have found the proper one, a 4401 horn with a 12 ohm 'mid t' driver through the audio asylum forum. I had help through this forum, THANKS GUYS!, as I needed some help with klipsch history. Thanks Edwardre!

I am presently working on restoring and updating a

'57 Heathkit W-5M Williamson amplifier to drive it

in a mono setup. Actually the amp will be "stock"

in appearance, under the hood will be modern audiophile caps and resistors, modifications, and the KT66's will be Chinese manufacture.

The question I have is this: Can anyone, especially HDBR Builder, give me advice on how to refinish this fine old k-horn? The original lacquer is decent, with minor alligatoring. I added some scratches in removing the HF grille, the staples were under the grille cloth and not behind it like I thought. Didn't see them untill too late. Anyway,the veneer is pretty ok, the scratches went mostly through the lacquer (which will go anyway).

What is this finish called?

The "raw" edges of the plwood were painted with a lacquer paint, evidenced by "alligatoring" as well. It has become more of a green shade with time.

I have been advised by one woodworker to use a product called "goo gone" to remove the old lacquer gently.

He recommends using Minwax polyurethane to refinish

with. I can spray it if my trusty old Binks #7 still works.

I won't actually start the refinishing untill this summer, I want to get the other things all finished

first. I have some new cane grille cloth on the way

from Klipsch.

Any guidance, advice, or information is most welcome.

And a thanks to Trey Cannon at Klipsch, who isn't too busy to help with a 48 year old product! How many other companies will support a product of this age,

as best they can????

Fred

[HDBRbuilder]

Fred,

I am assuming that the code on the label means mahoghany, SHELLACED (not laquered)...this would also explain the alligatoring of the final finish coats, since shellac would be more likely to do this over time than a good quality furniture laquer(one of the reasons laquer replaced shellac in popularity). Also, from your pics, the wood appears to be mahoghany (unless it is black walnut that has been severely exposed to sunlight, which I sincerely doubt).

One big question here: Do you really have a burning desire to refinish this speaker? If not, then leave it as is....because, like all antiques, it is worth more if it has its ORIGINAL finish on it, no matter how good the condition is...just something to consider. Although this attitude hasn't really made huge inroads into the "antique/classic electronics collector" crowd at this time, trust me, it will!

Shellac is organic-based...coming from a bug larval shell....its solvent and medium is alcohol....but instead of my getting into detail about all the nuances involved in stripping and refinishing, let me suggest this: Go to Lowe's or Home Depot. You SHOULD find this very popular excellent softbound guide: The New Wood Finishing Book, completely updated and revised, by Michael Dresdner...this should anwer all your questioins about finishes, stripping, and best finish to use in your refinishing.

If this was MY k-horn, and it had serial number 614 on it, unless the finish was pretty trashed, I would take a touchup marker, touch up any scratches, give it a good gunstock wax rubbing and buffing, and just listen to it...but that is me!!!..."If it ain't broke, don't fix it...especially if it is K-horn number 614!"...please keep in mind your own desire to get the tweeter back to ORIGINAL, when you consider whether to refinish it...just a thought!!!!! But I see no problem with installing new grill cloth, especially since it is the same stuff as on the original....maybe even the fabrication of new frames for the new grill cloth, while saving the original frames with cloth on them for posterity?

If you DO decide to go ahead with a refinish of it, once you have it stripped, you can send me some pics of any veneer damage, dents, etc...and I will be more than happy to tell you how to fix them before you refinish it.

I hope this was some help to you.

P.S. Look at it this way...if you had a 1937 Cord, with good original paint on it, would you have it repainted just because it had a small chip in it here and there? You have one helluva tribute to PWK on your hands; think seriously about this, please.

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[k2dx]

HDBR Builder,

If I could repair the staple scratches (not shown in

these pics) the original finish is very decent. The patina is not noticeable until you look closely. But the scratches on the small exposed strip of the LF

top surface is. Could I use a touchup stick to stain the exposed raw veneer and 'fill' the scratches with shellac or lacquer (level them) ?

The sticker gives the finish as "m-2-s" . Could this be m= mahogany, 2=two coats, s=shellac???

The old sales literature says laquer, I will double check again at hifilit.com site. How can one differentiate between lacquer and shellac?

The model k7 indicates one inch shorter height with no collar under the HF unit.

I certainly agree with your feelings about keeping it as close to original, but those scratches...I didn't uncover it for days after.

I will take some photos of the scratches and get them scanned, if you would look at them and give me an opinion. I suppose trying to repair them can't hurt,

if it fails then I will go ahead and refinish.

Thanks for the reply.

[khorn58]

k2dx,

I would leave that 54 khorn the way it is and just clean and wax it and maybe do some touch up.

It looks real nice to me.

I looked through a 52 catolog and they used lacquer paint and clear coats back in 53.

I have a few vintage guitars with the same old lacguer look I love it. maybe you will grow to like it to.

I takes years to get that old patina and cracking lines.

Does klipsch have to corect 50,s type grill cloth?

I would leave the grills alone and make up new panels if you want a cleaner look.

I really wanted that khorn when it was on ebay.

I belive I was the secound highest bidder!

I was looking for a match to my mint 59 khorn serial

1165.

But I am not crying now as I just won a 51 khorn in mint condition with all orig drivers serial #251. The mid t tweeter really sounds great.and the two speaker together sound great.

I would love to find a 40's khorn somday.

email me if you want to talk more about old khorns and refinishing as I use to refinsh wood for a living.

[HDBRbuilder]

Fred,

What K-horn58 said.

Seriously, like I said before, if the finish is basically good...then I would leave it alone except for a bit of touch-up un the scratches...and OFTEN you don't even really need to try to use any touch-up FINAL COAT, if the scratches arent too big. Just a marker to blend the coloring so they kinda disappear. Sometimes trying to use the same final coat to do touch-up on scratches makes them look worse than they were to start with, OR will entail as much effort as it takes to do a complete refinish.

As for the book I recommended...It is excellent, and has alot of good "tricks of the trade" in it...even if you don't need a good reference very often, this one is well-worth the cost. It also has an EXCELLENT section on "touch-ups" with a variety of techniques explained and illustrated in such a manner that even "Jethro Bodine" could make professional-grade repairs.

Just as Khorn58 said....if at all possible, just give it a touch-up where needed and a good waxing and buffing.

I would like to reiterate that saving the original grille cloth on its panels for posterity and taking the new grill cloth and intalling it on new replica panels should be given some consideration, too.

I am pretty sure your k-horn is mahoghany...but it sure would be nice to know what that model code stands for...maybe somebody can tell us? I assume the "m" stands for mahoghany...but it would be best to be positive on that. If the literature said laquer, then it was laquer...NOT shellac (Unless a customer maybe made a special request?). PWK has never been one to "bullsh*t" anyone. Again we come to that code on the label....

Fred...have you even considered that this k-horn or parts of it may have even been built by PWK himself? I know for a fact that in those days there were only something like 4 or 5 permanent employees(maybe even fewer!) there...something to think about....kinda like that 1937 Cord being built by E.L. Cord himself? (of course THAT never happened...LOL!)

I am sure that once you post some good pics of the damage you desire to repair, you will get plenty of suggestions from khorn58 and me...and likely others, too!!!

[khorn58]

To check if finish is shellac rub some alcohol on a spot that does not show.If the finsh becomes sticky it is shellac.