What red and black paints do I use to restore a vintage Soviet chess set?

Hi. I’m shopping for an original 1950s Mordovian (“Latvian”) chess set, and they all come with considerable wearing. What paints do I use to restore them to their original condition? And is there anything else I should know before I put a brush on an original set?

Be aware people might have strong opinions about this and it could be a controversial thread, lol.

Some people like the patina of vintage pieces and wouldn't consider refinishing.

Just remember, it would be your set and you can do whatever you want with it. Secondly, I'm not a woodworker so I cant help much in this area but there are many YouTube videos.

I believe pieces are typically stained and then polished with wax or shellac. Again, this is personal preference. I would expect shellac to flake with age. The pieces in the picture may not have shellac and could have just been polished with wax.

If you are doing this for a high gloss finish as I mentioned in a previous post I didn't mean to suggest this is necessary. I was thinking about the scene from Netflix. Depending on the price of the pieces, you could get a reproduction instead that will come with a high gloss finish (and avoid all the work refinishing).

I like the set in the picture

Quite interesting. Similarly, some people get really mad when you repurpose vintage clothing and turn it into something “new”. I think these people should buy everything vintage to safeguard them from people like me.

With staining, I guess I will just end up darkening everything rather than equalizing the color. Or do you think it will equalize after a few layers? I’m assuming once I hit full coverage, extra layers aren’t going to darken the surface further. But yeah, I should watch some tutorials.

I’ve looked for a reproduction but most of them don’t get the knight right; several of the Indian companies offer reproductions where the manes just don’t look nice. I did find one reproduction by RetroMaximum that seems accurate in terms of the carving, but I think the color is off; it leans orange rather than red. And to be pedantic, the eye sockets aren’t quite deep enough. Plus, it’s quite a bit more expensive than some of the originals.

I do like the idea of getting a set that was actually used in the Soviet and give it a fresh appearance. But I have to make sure I know what I’m doing so I don’t inadvertently ruin a vintage set.

Oh I was definitely planning on using a brush. I guess that would have imprinted a texture. Yeah, a spray can will probably be better. Thanks!

If you're going to refinish the pieces, you might want to start by removing what's left of the original. Just like refinishing a piece of furniture. Light sanding for example, to remove the texture of flaking shellac. I'm not an expert by any means, but I think that's how I'd start.

My opinion is to retain the original patina. Those pieces are battle worn. Display them proudly!