The Repair Shop

S05:E32 - Saxophone, Brass Kettle, WW1 Mirror

Saxophone, Brass Kettle, WW1 Shaving MirrorToday in the Repair Shop, Jay Blades and the team bring three treasured family heirlooms, and the memories they hold, back to life.Vintage musical instrument expert Pete Woods takes on a tarnished, dented saxophone that once entertained audiences during the Second World War. It belonged to Lorna Douglas's father, a passionate musician, who is dearly missed. It's not made a sound in over 40 years and Lorna believes hearing it again would be like hearing her father's voice once more. Pete strips it down, cleans off all the red rot and gets the lay of the land. He sets about replacing the leather pads on the valves and makes all the necessary specialist repairs. He enlists Steve Fletcher to craft a new pillar, in place of one that's gone AWOL. Pete then carefully rebuilds the entire sax and presents it, looking as it did back in its glory days. Lorna is moved when she hears it again - thanks to an impromptu performance from one of the barn's secret saxophone players!Silversmith Brenton West's metal is truly tested when he encounters an 80 year old brass kettle, that's in desperate need of some professional attention. Phil Bayly from Lincolnshire brings this keepsake that holds precious memories of his mother and her many stories of the Bayly family. She treasured the kettle and would polish to perfection but after years in a box, followed by an unfortunate incident, the kettle is crushed and dull. Through determined effort and a bespoke 'de denting' tool, Brenton works his midas touch.And saddlery gal Susie Fletcher restores a shaving mirror that kept the troops standing proud in the trenches of the First World War. Ruth Bowdage hopes Suzie can rescue this precious item. Handmade by her great grandfather, he cleverly stitched it together from old horse harnesses, while serving in the grim trenches of The Western Front. This unique treasure has had a hard life -  it's very dirty and scarred. The mirror itself is cracked and foggy. Susie lovingly unpicks each stitch, cleans and nourishes the leather and finds a specialist company to restore the original class. The soldier's handiwork is then reassembled and preserved for future generations to admire.