I thought that I was the only one who had difficulty
 with bedstead
restoration.  I acquired a couple of turn of the century jobs a few years ago and took the first to a classic car restorer who had a huge dip tank.  The
result was really clean.  I had the second one sand blasted because I
no longer had the tank available and they were for my personal use rather
that for a museum.  As you would expect, the blasting caused some minor
pitting on the castings but not the tubes.  Both were primed and spray
painted with automobile lacquer.  This finish has proven to be quite tough
and in 7 or 8 years has shown no wear other than a couple of chips from
vacuuming & etc.
Chuck Watkins, App. Cultural Museum