Tavy
Dec-09-2009, 10:37am
I thought it would be a good idea to put together a short care guide for the shellac on my restored instruments. I've attached below what I have so far... anything that I've missed stand out to anyone?
Incidently, I hereby divest any copyright claim on this wording, so if this is of use to anyone else, just go ahead and use it!
Cheers, John.
Do… Take care of the finish, especially in the first few months; shellac can take 6 months or more to reach full hardness.
Do… Wipe/clean the instrument with a soft dry cloth; this is normally all you need to remove finger marks and such like. Soft cotton cloths (T-shirt material), or lens cleaning cloths (provided they’re not impregnated with anything) are ideal. Regular cleaning in this way will create a wonderful, unique, patina.
Don’t… Ever clean with anything containing alcohol – shellac will dissolve in alcohol based products!
Don’t… ever use any product containing wax, or silicone on a musical instrument – you may render the finish/instrument impossible to repair in future.
In the event that a simple dry cloth is insufficient for cleaning the instrument, try wiping with a damp – but not wet – cloth, then immediately wipe dry with a clean dry cloth. In extremis a commercial “guitar polish” like cleaner can be used, but not until the shellac has had several months to fully set, and don’t try this too often!
In the event of accidental alcohol spillage, pat dry immediately, but do not wipe, as that will only spread any damage. Leave to dry thoroughly for at least 24 hours and then inspect in good daylight. For minimally damaged areas, simply buffing with nothing more than a clean dry cloth may be enough, dull areas can be brought back up to a shine using “Meguiars STEP 2 Deep Crystal Polish”. More advanced damage, dings, scratches etc, can be repaired easily by any good French polisher.
Incidently, I hereby divest any copyright claim on this wording, so if this is of use to anyone else, just go ahead and use it!
Cheers, John.
Do… Take care of the finish, especially in the first few months; shellac can take 6 months or more to reach full hardness.
Do… Wipe/clean the instrument with a soft dry cloth; this is normally all you need to remove finger marks and such like. Soft cotton cloths (T-shirt material), or lens cleaning cloths (provided they’re not impregnated with anything) are ideal. Regular cleaning in this way will create a wonderful, unique, patina.
Don’t… Ever clean with anything containing alcohol – shellac will dissolve in alcohol based products!
Don’t… ever use any product containing wax, or silicone on a musical instrument – you may render the finish/instrument impossible to repair in future.
In the event that a simple dry cloth is insufficient for cleaning the instrument, try wiping with a damp – but not wet – cloth, then immediately wipe dry with a clean dry cloth. In extremis a commercial “guitar polish” like cleaner can be used, but not until the shellac has had several months to fully set, and don’t try this too often!
In the event of accidental alcohol spillage, pat dry immediately, but do not wipe, as that will only spread any damage. Leave to dry thoroughly for at least 24 hours and then inspect in good daylight. For minimally damaged areas, simply buffing with nothing more than a clean dry cloth may be enough, dull areas can be brought back up to a shine using “Meguiars STEP 2 Deep Crystal Polish”. More advanced damage, dings, scratches etc, can be repaired easily by any good French polisher.