Linseed oil

[Ed Lee]

Got a source on that? Any data to substantiate? Any historical references, chemical analysis?

How was this varnish supposed to be prepared and applied?

Edit-----------

Nagyvary, 1984 - Never mind. Made varnish from shrimp shells or something. No historical data. I think he abandoned that quite a while back.

BTW, shellac is almost pure chitin.........................

Sold my college texts of minor in instrumental music, only recall such was presented along with bit on stringed instruments that didn't interest me much at that time. Just the drudge of passing that part of course, stuff is droned into the mind that you can't get rid of.

Over the years lots of woodworking as includes carving taught me by maternal Grandfather (he also played great country style "Fiddle" he equipped with worm tuning keys replacing classic tapered pegs.)

Shellac isn't chitin! Chitin is a varnish! Shellac would be and is used primarily as a sealant albeit thinned with alcohol (as evaporates). Shellacs are often used as underbase for top and final finishes of varnish. If you are applying a shellac do it with ample ventilation. Also, do not use near flame or electric burner as it is volatile. There are two varieties, white and orange. While some varnishes are a combination with stains, I'd prefer to stain first, shellac (assuming I wanted to seal), and then apply a clear varnish and Chitin comes as clear as water. Too, shellac is used as underbase sealant for lacquers. One thing shellac will do is block "bleed" of oils/grease from whatever strata is underneath before final finishes. (Wasn't done in 100 year old kitchen before application of light colored wall paper when remodeled, thus paper had to be removed, the paste removed, and the wall shellaced before just acrylic painted as final finish. It was one of the kitchens in house I once owned.) Over the years, I've refinished lots of furniture and cabinetry including the outside case of a kicked around Steinway grand piano to the satisfaction of the owners.

Ed Lee

[Geoff B]

OK, Chitin is found in a lot of things, and while it may be a part of a varnish, it is not "varnish" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitin)

Shellac comes in wide varieties, from Button all the way to super-blonde. Home depot will have 2 varieties of pre-mixed, waxed shellac "blonde" and "amber", made by Zinsser. Most instrument builders who use it mix their own and often add things to it.

Shellac also happens to be a 'varnish' which is a general name for a number of things, although 'varnish' is usually mentioned to set somethig apart from lacquer or the newer poly's or catalyzed things (just stepped beyond what i know). Although, lacquer and the poly's are technically 'varnishes' (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/varnish)
and (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varnish)

'Varnish' is also commonly split into 2 categories in conversation with instrument builders, 'spirit' and 'oil'. Spirit varnish is shellac plus or minus other ingredients. 'oil' varnish is further split into 'long oil' or 'short oil'. (Again, at the edge of my knowledge here).

Shellac is not only used as a sealant, but is the basis for a 'french polish' which is a time-tested method and one which gets a lot of respect from traditional makers and buyers.

You should apply any finish with proper ventilation, but with alcohol as the solvent in shellac, it is relatively safer than the solvents found in lacquers, poly's etc. Shellac happens to be edible as well (or so I've been told, please correct me if I'm wrong).

If well known builders have used things like tung oil to finish their instruments (Brunkalla comes to mind, who built Sara Watkins' violin) then I don't see why linseed oil couldn't work. Certainly worse things could be done to the thing!

[david blair]

Stradivarius was Amati's student, not his teacher. Amati designed the violin as we know today. Sometime around the year 1800, after the Baroque period, new violins began to be made with a longer neck and fingerboard, so virtually all of the older ones have now been modified by grafting the original scroll onto a new neck.
Guarneri was also a student of Amati. He and Stradivarius eventually developed their separate designs, Strad became noted for narrower sides lower bouts, and a new arching style. Very fascinating for me is his use of three iron nails attaching the neck to the head block!

I have read very much in recent years about what/how Strad sealed, varnished and colored his instruments, in looking forward to finishing my first mandolin build.
I am thinking to do this;
First a coating of beeswax, polished smooth.
Then fish glue, from cuttlefish, bismuth salts added for color and optical clarity.
Coatings of varnish made of gum mastic from Chios, walnut oil, and natural metal dyes. Buffing each coat opposite, with rabbit fur, and sealing between layers with fish glue containing salt.
It's interesting how this method compares to the manufacture of semiconductor chips. By layering quality natural ingredients; salts, oils, collagen, silicon, metals, and adding (doping) electrons by buffing with animal fur, this layering may be more than meets the eye.

Probably more then you asked for?