Kirby bargain!

[vintagehoover]

I spotted this Kirby Legend II on eBay last Friday. I wasn't looking for a Kirby, I was just browsing. It looked pretty dirty, and was untested, so I had no guarantee it would work. But what attracted me was the price: it had a BIN of 99p! And better still, they only wanted £6.99 for postage! I knew it had to be worth more than £8, even if it didn't work - I sold a Legend II with a shattered fan 2 years ago for £50! So I clicked 'buy'.

It turned up today, and it WAS pretty dirty - it's obviously been abandoned in a garage or shed for several years:

 

[vintagehoover]

Other than the dirt...

...it's not too bad...all the bits are there:

 

[vintagehoover]

After a bit of a clean:

Ok, so it'll never be a gleaming beauty like the examples some of you guys have in your collection, but it's an improvement!

 

[vintagehoover]

And in action!

The good news is, the £8 Kirby runs like new! As well as being cleaned and polished, the bag and fill tube have been washed.

The bad news is I've just had to spend £27.50 on bags and belts for it! Oh well, I suppose there's always a catch with any bargain"

 

[vintagehoover]

A before-and-after...

...cos they're always fun!

 

[swiveltop]

Great Deal

I would have paid more than that just for the bag and emptor, I got a great deal on my Heritage II with the small head on e-bay,it had a damaged mini emptor,so I got one off the Heritage II that I got cheap at a thrift store, These are my favorite Kirby's,I had a G4 but it didn't do as good a job grooming the carpets, Your Legend II cleaned up nice,with the right buffing equipment you could get it back to facory new looking again, I worked for a Kirby dealer for years,we had a bench mounted buffer and it would bring any Kirby in any condition back to shiny new, enjoy your nice find, Mark

 

[petek]

Great buy Jack. You know it isn't really as difficult as you'd think getting that Kirby back to near new brilliance. Just get some 0000 grade steel wool and aluminum polish at the grocery/hardware/auto parts or Flitz or Maas or even VIM creme cleanser works albeit not quite as well and rub away. Absolutely will not scratch. It's just more time consuming than anything. And have a roll of paper towels too because it's like polishing silver, lots of black tarnish coming off on the steel wool and your fingers. Remove the handle, sani emptor and nozzle and do it piece work style. I'd sit on the front porch doing mine watching the neighborhood goings on.

 

[swiveltop]

Here is my Heritage after using mothers aluminum polish and a buffing pad attached to a drill.

 

[vintagehoover]

Magic is starting to happen!

I may have spoken too soon, and underestimated the Kirby's ability to bounce back! I've just been working on it with my Dremel, using some polishing pads I bought on eBay. I haven't used the Dremel much because I've had problems with the polishing compound which came with the pads, but I got it out this evening, and used it after putting on some of the polish I usually use when buffing by hand. It takes a while, because the pads are only small, and it's going to take several applications, but the tarnishing does seem to be coming off! I'm just worried about the more serious patch of corrosion on the right-hand side; maybe I'll have to get some of that wire wool you mentioned, Pete - sounds like it might help.

And Mark, that Heritage looks amazing! It'd be nice to think my new buy could look as good as that one day...we'll see!

I've bought some genuine Micron Magic bags (£17.50 for 9), and 5 geniune belts too (£10 for 5) - I think the prices are a rip-off, though! I bought genuine, rather than imitation, but I don't know if I could afford to do that every time!

I have a question: is it ok to machine-wash the bag? I just did it by hand earlier, and it still smells a little of old dust. Would it be ok to do it inside out, at 40 degrees, on a normal cycle?

 

[petek]

I only handwash in lukewarm water with a small amount of laundry powder followed up by a rinse and some liquid fabric softener. I know for a fact the blue Tradition bag leeches color even doing it that way. It's not worth the risk I think.
I'm not an allergic person so the micron magic bags are a waste of money imho

 

[luxg]

Jack, Congratulations on getting such a great deal. I've always loved the color combination on the Legend II .

 

[kirbyking]

Wow great find!
What a bargain
I got my Legend II a few years ago from a boot sale for £10
Came with the dusting tools, and rug renovator aswell.
They come up really well when polished
Use wirewool or very fine sandpaper to get rid of the corrosion

James

 

[electroluxxxx]

too shiny. get it inside you are going to blind god or someone. lol. Really Nice machine. now you say that Steel wool and a polish will take care of the machine? what kind of steel wool do you recomend because I have 4 Kirby's that could really really use it. also does the steel wool take care of the scratches on the hood. and last but not least since Brilo is steel wool would that work because I just might take it in to consideration

 

[hoover1060]

Jack,

Congrats on the nice find, it looks awesome from the first pictures you posted.
I have machine washed Kirby bags with no problems. Those bags especially wash well. I would recommend an extra rinse though, sometimes those bags can be filthy!
I'll echo everyone's polishing advice with one twist: but two grades of steel(wire)wool, One medium-fine grade and one super fine.
Use the plain steel wool first to remove the dirt, then go back with the polishing compound. It will take several appliacations and LOTS of elbow grease, but you should be able to make that Kirby sparkle by hand pretty easily.
Good luck and let us know how it all comes out!

Jeff

 

[vintagehoover]

Meanwhile...

...putting aside my G5 fiasco for a minute, my bargain Legend II is looking better by the minute! I've been using wire wool on it, as recommended, and the original finish has come back! It's still not perfect, but what an improvement!

 

[petek]

What a major difference already and it probably looks better in real life than the photo's as usually happens.

 

[vintagehoover]

Before and After - the sequel!

My first B&A pic was a little premature - it's come a long way since then! Wire wool, used with Carr & Day & Martin Metal and Brass polish (why the distinction between metal and brass? Isn't brass a metal?!) has worked wonders. Thanks all the people who recommended the wire wool, too - it'll be a staple of my reconditioning kit from now on.

I did put the bag through the washing machine, too - 40 degrees easy-care cycle. Made the bag look like new and got rid of the musty smell.

 

[vintagehoover]

Another wire-wool miracle:

The Model 300 I shipped over here at the end of last year; in it's before-state, it was filthy and corroded - the surface of the metal actually had a texture!

After extensive work with metal polish and wire-wool, it's a dramatic improvement. I will be continuing to work on it until it's as good as new, but here's where I am at the moment:

 

[kirbyboy1]

WOW THATS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Does it work good. I would love to have the older machine. Does that machine have " positive agitation"?