Steel is a living material — it responds to moisture, heat, and handling over time. A little regular care keeps hand-forged pieces looking the way they did the day they arrived. Here's how to care for each finish and material we work with.

Interior Finishes: Pewter Black, Rustic Black & Rust

If your piece is finished in Pewter Black, Rustic Black, or Rust, it's a natural steel finish rather than a powder coat, and it's meant for interior use only. Check the finish name on your order or product page — these three all get the same care.

These do best with a monthly wipe of fine furniture oil, applied with a soft cloth. Furniture polish will not protect the metal the way oil does — use oil only. We like orange oil — it's non-toxic and smells wonderful — but any quality furniture oil works.

For scrollwork, joints, and other hard-to-reach spots, dip a 1-inch paintbrush in oil and stipple it into those areas, then wipe away the excess.

Rusting is a natural property of steel. Regular oiling is what keeps it in check. If a piece lives somewhere humid — near a steam room, a humidifier, or a drafty exterior door — plan to oil it more often.

A note on the Rust finish specifically: that aged, reddish look is already sealed with an oil coat when it leaves our studio — it's not a piece that's been neglected. It still benefits from the same monthly oiling routine as Pewter Black and Rustic Black to keep that seal intact.

Powder-Coated Finishes

If your finish isn't Pewter Black, Rustic Black, or Rust, it's powder-coated — including all of our garden sculptures and most exterior-rated lighting and furniture. Powder coat needs far less upkeep than a natural steel finish: a damp cloth to clear dust is usually all it takes, and it's weather-resistant enough to live outdoors.

Rawhide Sheepskin Shades

If your light fixture has a rawhide shade — a translucent, bare hide that glows when lit, rather than a sewn fabric shade — it responds to heat and dryness like any natural hide:

• Dust with a barely damp cloth to remove surface dust; spot clean only — never soak or submerge a rawhide shade
• Condition every few months with a light coat of oil (neatsfoot oil works well) worked in with a soft cloth — more often if the shade gets regular sun
• Use an LED or CFL bulb rather than incandescent — incandescent heat is one of the most common causes of rawhide splitting, since heat makes the hide tighten until it cracks
• Keep the shade out of direct sun and away from heating vents where you can — direct light through a New Mexico window is tough to avoid entirely, so bulb choice and regular conditioning matter even more here
  
  

Linen Shades

If your light fixture has a linen shade, it holds up well with routine dusting:

• A lint roller or the soft brush attachment on a vacuum removes surface dust without damaging the fabric
  
• For a light stain, blot — don't rub — with a cloth barely dampened in mild soap and water, then let it air-dry fully before use