02x15 - Schoolgirl's Writing Case

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Welcome to The Repair Shop,

where cherished family heirlooms
are brought back to life.

This is the workshop of dreams.

Home to furniture restorer,
Jay Blades.

Nowadays everybody spends a fortune
on stuff that, once it's broken,

they just bin it.

But everybody has something that
means too much to be thrown away,

and that's where we come in.

Working alongside Jay

will be some of the country's
leading crafts people.

Every piece has its own story.

It's amazing to think that some of
my work becomes part of that story.

I've always played with things,

I've always repaired things
and I just love it.

There is a real pleasure in bringing
people's pieces back to life again.

Each with their own unique set of
skills....

I can't wait to get started.

...they will resurrect...

..revive... I'm in awe, man.

..and rejuvenate...

..treasured possessions

and irreplaceable pieces
of family history.

Wow!

Bringing both the objects...

She's fantastic.

That's just taken me back 50 years.

..and the memories that they
hold...

Ah! Oh, yes!

..back to life.

Oh, my God!

In The Repair Shop today,

Suzie and Jay become rather attached
to a leather writing case.

If you could hold it,
that would be super.

Not there. Otherwise
I'd be stuck to it, wouldn't I?

You'd be stuck to it forever.

You'll be carrying this case
for the rest of your life. Yeah!

While a vintage music player

has Steve and Tim
scratching their heads.

For the life of me, I can't
see how it would ever have worked.

At the moment,
it doesn't make sense. No.

First to arrive
is Carol New from Dorset.

She has a fragile family heirloom
needing the attention

of silversmith, Brenton West. Hi.

Hello, Brenton.

You must be Carol, nice to meet you.
Yes, nice to meet,

Right, what have you brought me?

Well, I've brought in this mirror

which has been in our family
for some time.

OK. It has a sad corner to it.

Oh, dear. It's got teeth missing.

It belonged to my great aunt.

How did she come across this mirror?

She was in service
when she was a young girl,

it was part of the family
she worked for.

OK. The Lady of the house it
belonged to, sadly she passed away.

OK. And then her husband actually
married my Aunt Emily.

OK. So therefore, when he passed
away, it was all hers.

And the little piece of damage on
that, do you know how that happened?

No idea, nobody seems to know.

It is a lot of work
because it's very fancy.

Basically, I need to copy
another corner,

make all of those little pieces and
put them in the right place there.

That would be lovely. If I can.

Otherwise, I'll just paint that
corner silver and it'll be all

right, won't it? No, it won't.

OK. Leave it with me
and I'll see what I can do.

I really know it will be
in safe hands with you.

Thank you. Thank you.

With so much intricate silver detail
to repair and replace,

Brenton's got his work cut out

to get the mirror
back to gold standard.

So tell me you have figured out
how to fix Carol's mirror.

I have figured it out.

OK, good. I'm just working out how
I'm going to make all these pieces

because I've got to copy
that corner.

I'm going to throw a bit of a
spanner in your works.

Go on, then. These are not identical
are they? They're all different.

That helps me a lot, though,
doesn't it?

As the corners are not the same...
Yeah.

..how are you going to do that?

Right. What I'm going to do,
first of all,

this is a repeating pattern up here.

So I've got to work out exactly
what part of that pattern it is.

I'm going to make, basically,
two pieces that go into this corner

and pin it on to here.
I'm going to use very thin silver

and I'm going to chase them.

Chase them? Chase them.

That means what? It doesn't mean
running around, does it?

Let me show you how it works
on a bit of copper.

Will that do? That will do, lovely.

So if you go and you tap it...

..if you turn that over,
you've got a raised bit, there.

You've done this before, ain't you?

I've got an award for doing this.
That's what I like to hear.

Next to arrive is Michael Quirke
and his daughter, Mary.

They have a treasured piece of
family history that has sat silent

on a shelf for over 50 years.

Good afternoon to you, by the way.

How are you? I'm Tim.
Well, I can guess it's a phonograph.

You've seen one before, haven't you,
I dare say?

I have seen one before.
One or two maybe, yeah? Yes.

Tim Weeks has dedicated many decades

to repairing all manner of
music-making machines.

What's the story behind this?
Have you had this for long?

I got it about 1967 or '68.

My mother's sister
lived in a small town.

My aunt was very musical.

My mother was as well and the back
end of the last century, I suppose,

this thing used to
have that playing.

That was her music.

This is an Edison Gem phonograph.
The model started in about 1897.

Do you remember
actually hearing this played?

I heard it once. I was very, very
young, I'd say I was about seven

or eight years of age,
something like that.

I heard it once,
she had it working then.

I'd love to get her going
to listen to it again.

I'll go as far as saying,
if it's fixed again,

I wouldn't think much of walking
back down here for it.

It means that much to me.
Well, that is quite a challenge,

and I'll take the challenge.

So if you go home
and polish your walking boots up,

I'll see what I can do with this.

All right? Thanks very much.

Lovely to meet you.
See you later on.

Lovely to meet you.

Tell me you've got a tune
out of this, have you?

We will get a tune out of it.

OK. We will get a tune out of it,
but not immediately.

Right. Phonographs, which is what
this is, an Edison phonograph.

Yeah. This is the first form
of record player.

Oh, is it? Yes.

There are a number of faults that
Edison phonographs are prone to,

and this one has got
just about all of them.

The major problem is,
if you go to wind it up...

That's not moving, is it? The handle
flies back and smacks you across the
knuckles.

So we've got to take the
motor out, sort out the spring.

This, which is the reproducer,
should be sliding along that bar

up-and-down, up-and-down,
up-and-down.

At the moment,
you can't even... It don't move, no.

You can't even shift it.

So the reproducer
actually plays the record, then?

The reproducer plays the record

by using a diamond stylus.

Can you see that, that thing there?
That is the diamond stylus.

OK. So who was the first person
that figured out to use a diamond?

Well, Edison. Oh, was he?

Thomas Edison, when he invented
the whole process.

He's a clever guy. I'm impressed.

I'll be even more impressed
when you get that done.

I'll leave you to it, but
thank you for the history lesson.

Cheers, Jay. Right...

Another piece of history is being
brought to The Repair Shop

by Sally and David Taylor.

Hello there. Hello. I'm Suzie.

They're hoping that leather expert,
Suzie Fletcher,

can return a cherished possession
to its former glory.

It looks like a briefcase.

It's a little writing case but,
unfortunately, it's a bit worn.

It had all my papers
and envelopes in

when I went away to boarding school,
and it was given to me

by my grandfather
as a sort of good luck present.

How long ago would that have been?
That was 1962.

We weren't allowed to ring home

and so letters were the main form
of communication.

It does mean a lot to me
in that respect because I had

letters that my grandparents wrote
to me, or my parents wrote to me.

It would just be lovely
to use it again.

I use e-mails, but it's also nice
to receive a letter, isn't it?

It's lovely. It really is lovely
to get a letter.

But, no, I would definitely fill it
up and, you know, use it again.

Well, I look forward to getting
started on it. Thank you.

So I'll be in touch once it's ready
for you to come and collect.

Thank you, wonderful. Thank you very
much, Suzie. Thank you, Sally.

So lovely to meet you. And you. Bye.

It has a couple of things that
really need major attention.

The first being
the underside panel, here.

The main area that's concerning me
at the moment is this large bare

section here, but I do have the
leather that's just peeled back.

I think I'll be able to piece it
back and then cover this with a
leather

corner that will glue over the three
sides.

The first thing I need to do

is to glue down this panel, here.

MUSIC PLAYS

Out in the metal workshop,

Brenton is preparing the new metal
for the silver mirror,

ready to start recreating
the intricate pattern

using the ancient craft of chasing.

So this is my pitch bowl.
This is quite a specialised item.

It's used for chasing and repousse.

It holds the metal
where you want it.

It's like a good glue, which is only
held by heat and it has enough give

for the silver to become indented
on it, but it doesn't crack.

So I've decided to stick my tracing
on top of the piece of silver.

The most important thing,

I've got to be really, really
accurate with this.

So there's a small selection of
chasing tools I've got here.

That one there is for doing curves.

That one there is for
doing the lines.

Basically, if you haven't got a tool
that will make a particular profile

or a particular shape,
then you make one.

It just takes time and patience.

People have been doing this sort of
technique for thousands of years.

If you look at Inca gold and
Colombian gold, this is a method

people have been doing

probably as long as there's been
metal and people working on it.

So you can see my marks on there.

So this is the back and these lines
now give me a guide to where to

punch from behind.
Quite simply, inside the lines.

It's a bit like painting by numbers,
tapping by lines I like to call it.

MUSIC PLAYS

At Suzie's bench, she's getting to
grips with one of the trickiest

parts of the writing case
restoration.

She has to match the colour
of the old leather

which, inside the workshop,
has been proving problematic.

Indoor light can cast all sorts of
different shadows and shades and as

time was going on, it was going from
this blue down to more of a green

and then to a blacky blue.

So I decided, come outside,
natural light,

I can see exactly the colour
that it is.

I have been dyeing the discs to make
the coverings for the corner.

It's a little frustrating because
I've got one that's actually come

out a really close match to it,

but do you think I can emulate it
on the others?

Not a chance. So I'm thinking that I
shall apply some stain and just see

if that gives me the different depth
of colour that I'm trying to achieve
here.

That's so much better.

Yes.

Really happy with that,
the effect is so much better.

Fingers crossed, I think
it's going to turn out quite nice.

MUSIC PLAYS

Once back inside, Jay's
checking on Suzie's progress.

Hello. So how is this writing case?

Where I'm at is the corners
of the cases are worn out.

Yeah. I think it would be really
nice to repair the corners

using the leather discs.

The first thing I do is to
put a slit in it to allow me to

wrap around that corner.

So in upholstery, what we would do,
is cut that that bit off.

Like cut a little triangle,
so that sits a little bit better.

It is another way of doing it.

I like the fact that I've got some
extra material to work with that's

going to strengthen the base to the
sides because it's going to have

some weight on it. Yeah.

I've got this one that I think is
going to be tacky enough.

If you could hold it,
that would be super.

Not there. Otherwise I'd be
stuck it, wouldn't I?

You'd be stuck to it forever.

You'll be carrying this case
for the rest of your life.

She can't have me,
it's not going to happen.

OK. So, here we go.

You've got a one-shot deal at this
because it's compact cement.

Yeah. Ready? Yes.

Are you sure? I am.

OK. I'm just going to pull it down
here.

That's lovely.

So now we have to wait for that to
become tacky to do that side,

turn it over and then repeat the
process eight times.

Eight times. Wow.

All right, I think I've got
some e-mails to send.

I'll leave you to it.
OK, thanks so much.

Gramophone specialist, Tim Weeks,
has taken on an early phonograph

designed by Thomas Edison.

It hasn't made a sound for over 50
years and it's looking like this job

could be an uphill struggle.

We take the motor out
and we can see more clearly...

..what the actual problem is
in here.

Well, there's the ratchet spring.

So we've got a broken end there and
the other broken end of it there.

So I think that tells us quite a lot
about what we need to know.

The whole function of this ratchet
is to stop the spring, the handle,

just sort of flying back,

as you wind it up and smacking you
across the knuckles.

Luckily, on hand for
a second opinion,

is The Repair Shop clockwork expert.
Steve!

You may have some views on this.

You see, it's meant to wind up

by turning that and then
the ratchet goes in there.

Oh, right, OK. Obviously,
this ratchet springs loose.

But for the life of me, I can't see
how it would ever have worked.

Have you got any thoughts?

At the moment it doesn't make sense.

No. Oh, right.

Usually things just make immediate
sense to me, and this one doesn't.

Do you think someone has had a look
at this and played with it and tried

to get it going? Yeah, I think
that's what's happened.

You see, look, somebody has
had a bash at filing it.

Can you see there are some
stripes across there? Yes.

Somebody's been in there.

OK, I'll wait until
you've taken it apart

and then I'll have another look.

So a previous repair attempt
may be the culprit.

It's not long before Tim lays his
hands on a clue

which may solve the mystery
of the malfunctioning ratchet.

Well... Have you got another one?
Yes, I've got another one

from my commodious collection
of spare parts.

Oh, it's the wrong way round. Yeah.

Someone's put it on backwards,
haven't they?

But...

What is interesting,

why I've even bothered to
bring it over and show it to you,

is you can see that little slit
in the end

where there must have been
a spring...

Oh, same as that one.
..fixed in there.

So that is meant to be there,

but not flapping around like that
it isn't.

Can you hold that? Yep.
And hold it tight on to the plate.

Yes. I'm going to turn that,
so it would work like that.

Oh, yeah.

Do you want to push that
and we'll get a centre pop.

OK. There we go.

That's made them up.

OK, so I'm going to drill in there
and put a pin in.

You're a hero.

Across the workshop, Suzie is in
sight of the finishing line

with the restoration of the 1960s
writing case.

After touching up the last few
frayed edges with acrylic paint,

she's replacing the worn leather
handle with a brand-new one.

So I'm now at the point where

I'm going to mount the handle
onto the case.

The first thing I need to do is just
to thread the 'D' through and the

loop that I made here.

I just need to get my pliers and
squeeze the two ends together.

And there we have it.
That's one handle mounted.

I'm very happy with it,

I'm hoping that Sally will be
very happy with the overall effect.

Sally is back to see the case that
holds so many memories

of her schooldays
and of her grandfather.

Hello, Sally.

Hello. How are you doing?

I'm very well thank you.
It's good to see you again, Sally.

How are you doing, David?
Hi, there. Are you all right?

Well, we won't hold you in suspense
any longer.

Oh, good.

Wow! Oh, gosh.

Oh, Suzie, that's fantastic.

Thank you so much.

Brilliant.
Look at the handle and everything.

Can I touch it?

Of course you can. Oh, wow.

I promised I wouldn't say, "Wow,"
but that is really amazing.

Oh, you're so clever.
Thank you so much.

She is, isn't she?
That's wonderful.

I managed to put your leather
corners on because they were all,

if you remember...
Yes, they were dreadful.

They were completely blown out.

That's such a good idea,
I never thought of that, corners.

So lovely. The other challenge
that I had was the colour match.

Yes. Because this case,
I swear, is a chameleon.

Every time I thought I got
the colour match right, it changed.

Whether it's chameleon or not,
it's perfect.

So this case now,
what are you going to do with it?

I'm going to take it home
and fill it full of envelopes,

stamps and writing paper and a pen.

Maybe we might receive a letter?

Well, you might do.

If we're lucky.
There's a good chance.

We'll let you be
on your travels then.

Oh, go out like Paddington Bear.

Yes, thank you very much indeed.

Thank you. Thank you so much, Suzie.

You're very welcome, Sally.

Really, really pleased,
thank you very much. Thank you.

MUSIC PLAYS

Silversmith, Brenton, has spent many
hours recreating the missing corner

for the silver mirror,
but he's not finished yet.

Obviously this is a solid piece of
silver and we need the holes so that

the blue velvet shows through.

So I'm just putting the blade
through a hole in the silver,

so I can cut this diamond shape hole

out of this little bit of
lattice work.

I've got to do that with all of
these holes and then I can fit that

onto the mirror.

OK. So I'm just going to try
this piece in I've made.

It's slightly larger
than it needs to be.

I'm going to put it underneath
the original silver

which is quite firm on here.

It should just slip underneath and,
like that,

and that's the new corner in.

I'd say that's pretty much
indistinguishable from the original.

For decades the mirror had been

an ornate jigsaw puzzle
with a missing piece.

Now it's whole again,
this treasured looking glass

is ready to be returned
to owner, Carol.

Hi, Carol. Nice to see you again.

How are you, all right?
How did you get on?

It's been very challenging.

Was it? Very challenging.
I'm not surprised.

Do you want to have a look?

I'm dying to have a look. OK.

Oh, my gosh!

That is absolutely marvellous,
Brenton.

Well done.
That's all right.

It's taken my breath away.

Do you know,
this is like Christmas for me.

Brilliant. I'm glad
that stirs that emotion in you.

Well, you know,
it's whole again, isn't it?

You know, pardon the pun,
you can't see the join, can you?

You're not meant to. It's amazing.

I really do appreciate it.

That's a great piece of history,
isn't it?

I just can't wait to show my mother.

What do you think
she'll think of it?

It will bring back so many memories,
when she actually sees it again.

She really will be thrilled.

Tim and Steve have joined forces

to take on a phonograph
that refuses to play a note.

Clock restorer, Steve, has been
putting all his clockwork knowledge

to use on the troublesome ratchet.

Oh.

RATCHET CLICKS

Ah! Music to your ears?

Music, music.

There will be soon. You are a prince
among antique restorers,

do you know that?
Oh, that is beautiful.

Is that all right? Yes, that's
what's supposed to be happening.

I'll listen out for the music.

Listen out for it
and you'll hear it.

Thank you. Right, now, to business.

Now, Tim just needs to
put the machine back together.

One of these jobs
that basically needs...

..three hands.

Hold on, what's going on there?

Ah!

Now, there.

Right. We've got the motor back in,

a bit of a fiddle,
but we've done it.

We've wound it up
and it's staying wound-up,

thanks to Steve's new ratchet.

So what remains is the acid test,
put a cylinder on, see if it goes.

The moment of truth.

MACHINE: Edison record... Wow.

MUSIC PLAYS

Wow! That is great, isn't it?

It is. Really good.

This was entertainment in 19...

I was about to say, is this what
music was like in the olden days?

HE LAUGHS

It's just a lovely,
lovely piece of equipment.

Michael is going to be so happy
with this.

He is going to be
absolutely made up.

Well, there is a bit of fine tuning
to do to it yet

before it goes back to him.

But if he's not heard this go since
he was eight years old...

Yeah, well done you.

That is fantastic.
What do we do now?

Go down the pub, I think.

Yeah.

Good. See you later.

Michael Quirke
inherited the phonograph

from his aunt in the 1960s.

It evokes many memories of his
boyhood back in rural Ireland.

Now his long wait
to hear it play again is over.

Tim is personally delivering
this labour of love.

Hello. I've been waiting for this
minute for a long time.

When you left this with me
at The Repair Shop...

Yes. ..you said if we could
get it going again,

you'd walk all the way down
there to get it. Yeah.

I've had a look at the weather
forecast and I didn't think

I'd make you walk all that way.

There we are. That's great.

It takes a lot of winding,
doesn't it?

Well, yeah, it's a brand-new
spring in here now, of course.

Of course, the horn pops on there.

And the most important bit
is to put a cylinder on.

We've tried to come up with
an appropriate tune for you.

MUSIC PLAYS

What do you think?
That's great, Tim.

Unbelievable, isn't it?

Feel free to join in.
Yeah, it's lovely.

MUSIC PLAYS

God, I remember the sound,
I never hear this.

# It's a long way to Tipperary

# It's a long way to go... #

Been a while. Yes, I know it now.

Yeah?

Well, I can nearly see you sitting
on the table at home with my aunt.

No, it's beautiful. Lovely.

What's it like to hear that again
after all these years?

To be honest with you,
I didn't think it could be done.

Oh. It brings back
some memories, Tim.

It does, yes.
Everything can be done.

Everything can be done
with a little bit of thought

and a bit of elbow grease.

It's a family treasure.

It is, yes.
There's a few cylinders there,

you can have a recital
and invite your friends round.

That's great, Tim.
That's great is that.

I do appreciate
how much you've done.

You'll never know
what it means to me, Tim.

Oh, it's a pleasure.
It's a pleasure, Michael.

It's great. Mary.
Thank you very much.

It means an awful lot to me,

to have that working and bring
back memories of my family,

plus the fact that I can
pass it on to my daughter,

who I know will treasure it.

And hopefully, it'll be there for
generations to come.

# But my heart's right there. #

Join us next time, as more
precious pieces are rescued...

Wow, look at that.

..and their cherished memories
restored, in The Repair Shop.

Oh, that's brilliant.