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Thread: Tru oil over Howards restore a finish ?

  1. #1

    Default Tru oil over Howards restore a finish ?

    I'm wondering about touching up the beaten up finish on the back and sides of a 25' 00-21 restoration. I've used restore a finish alone on a 20's banjo resonator, and it came out great. Don't know if Tru oil would like to adhere to it though. The mfg recommends their own product 'feed and wax', on top, so I guess it could take something on top. Had to re-finish the top, so I'm going to try the Tru oil over that as a finish.

    Thanks for any thoughts !

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  2. #2
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    Default Re: Tru oil over Howards restore a finish ?

    I use Howard's sometimes on furniture projects here. It's good for a lot of stuff. I've never used it on an instrument. If you want to put something over the top of it, do not use their Feed and Wax if you ever think you want to use something else over it. It's an oily wax product and you'd have to clean that all off and good luck with that.
    You might get Tru Oil to adhere to the restorer, but I'd recommend trying it on a sample first. Frankly, I wouldn't use the restoration product on an instrument. A banjo resonator is kind of like between furniture and and instrument (and I play banjo).

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  4. #3

    Default Re: Tru oil over Howards restore a finish ?

    Thanks Dale. The resonator came out fine and was recommended by a furniture french polisher. Starting to think at this point maybe just a little tru oil and call it good. Not looking for perfection, just a little love. It was a basket case to begin with, so, think I'll just live with her the way she is.

  5. #4
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    Default Re: Tru oil over Howards restore a finish ?

    I do like Tru Oil, but mostly for necks, not bodies. as to your intentions: "love the one you're with". CSN (Y?)

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  7. #5
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    Default Re: Tru oil over Howards restore a finish ?

    To answer your question it is helpful to know what is in there. According to the Howard MSDS, Restor a Finish contains a wide variety of different chemicals used as solvents, including heavy paraffinic and light paraffinic distillates (maybe kerosene, or something closely related. Those terms cover a lot of territory), isopropyl alcohol, xylene, acetone, and butanone (aka methyl ethyl ketone). What all of these chemicals have in common is that they act as solvents for different finishes. Seems to me that, since this product is designed to work on any sort of finish it encounters, lacquer, varnish, whatever, they just use the shotgun approach. No matter what you have, one of those solvents will work to soften the finish’s. It also contains asphaltum, a petroleum-derived dark brown pigment. So the action of the product seems to be as follows: break down and soften the existing finish (the abrasive action of the steel wool the directions call for as an applicator would speed this along), then after softening kind of spread it around for re-distribution so as to create a more consistent look, then deposit the asphaltum in bare spots like water rings on your coffee table and such. The asphaltum concentration probably varies according to which type you buy (Oak less, walnut more, and do on).

    But notice that nowhere in the ingredients is there any actual finish! Some sort of resin would be there if there was, or an oil. Nothing of the sort. So it is not, strictly speaking, a finish. It just uses the finish you already have. And coloring.

    The general rule in finishing is “fat over lean”. That makes Tru Oil quite compatible with a great many finishes. It is very “fatty”. It consists of boiled linseed oil, other proprietary oils, solvents, and dryers. Easy to use, difficult to screw up, cures rock hard, and end results are quite nice when you follow the instruction, which aren’t that demanding. Letting it dry enough between coats is important. Not only can you use it in your case, I think the results could look great!
    Last edited by multidon; Sep-06-2018 at 7:38am.
    Don

    2016 Weber Custom Bitterroot F
    2011 Weber Bitterroot A
    1974 Martin Style A

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  9. #6
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    Default Re: Tru oil over Howards restore a finish ?

    Moving for the last decades from “restoration” to “preservation”. Just picked up a jar of Renaissance Micro-crystalline Wax Polish, used by top violin conservators. I’ve French polished, as it’s considered “removable” in the preservation world, but am moving away from oils or permanent finishes. The primary issue with waxes, oils and such on violins is penetration through the purfling and corners to the joints, and secondary is modification of the original finish.

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