I've watched a few episodes and I expected more from the "nation's top restorers and craftsmen" description.
It's basically amateurs who have to go to the experts on anything that isn't really easy to figure out. Like replacing an old camera bellows. I've replaced those before with old parts I found online. They had to go to the Eastman Museum to get theirs replaced.
Then there was the old family heirloom seaman's trunk with great old patinated copper on it. What did they do? They restored it by polishing off every bit of the patina and making it shiny and new. No professional would do that! It was sickening to watch!
It's an okay show to watch. But don't think for a minute that they know what they're doing.
UPDATE: I just watched an episode I had missed earlier where they ruined a $20,000 cannon from the 1800s by going to work on it with grinders and welding patches over rusted areas (like Billy Bob does on his pickup truck). Their onscreen valuation was $200 in its original state and $46,000 after they ruined it. Please, they turned a $20k item into a $1500 piece of yard art. These guys are clueless! Watching they destroy that piece of history made me sick to my stomach!
It's basically amateurs who have to go to the experts on anything that isn't really easy to figure out. Like replacing an old camera bellows. I've replaced those before with old parts I found online. They had to go to the Eastman Museum to get theirs replaced.
Then there was the old family heirloom seaman's trunk with great old patinated copper on it. What did they do? They restored it by polishing off every bit of the patina and making it shiny and new. No professional would do that! It was sickening to watch!
It's an okay show to watch. But don't think for a minute that they know what they're doing.
UPDATE: I just watched an episode I had missed earlier where they ruined a $20,000 cannon from the 1800s by going to work on it with grinders and welding patches over rusted areas (like Billy Bob does on his pickup truck). Their onscreen valuation was $200 in its original state and $46,000 after they ruined it. Please, they turned a $20k item into a $1500 piece of yard art. These guys are clueless! Watching they destroy that piece of history made me sick to my stomach!
