darkside mike Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Ok who has used this method and what are do's and dont's? Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 It depends on what the objectives are Is it a total strip of the finish? Or a localised repair job? V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkside mike Posted December 6, 2014 Author Share Posted December 6, 2014 total strip to raw mahogany and left unfinished is the plan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Well if you are stripping it bare, Mike, it's smart to at least seal it with high quality clear shellac flakes blended in denatured alcohol to impede drying out and cracking. Art supply stores will have it. One coat won't make it shiny but will make it more durable and rigid. What particular guitar are you experimenting with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkside mike Posted December 6, 2014 Author Share Posted December 6, 2014 Well if you are stripping it bare, Mike, it's smart to at least seal it with high quality clear shellac flakes blended in denatured alcohol to impede drying out and cracking. Art supply stores will have it. One coat won't make it shiny but will make it more durable and rigid. What particular guitar are you experimenting with? Awesome thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rus Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 total strip to raw mahogany and left unfinished is the plan I used acetone on a few of my Gibsons before refinishing them or when I wanted an unfinished neck. It works great. I can't stand it when guys sand down their Gibsons! In a couple hours I'll add a pic of a Flying V with a neck I just stripped. Don't leave it unfinished though, because then dirt and oils from your skin will get into the wood grain and make it look dirty and gross. Use gunstock oil on it after all the finish is removed. I use Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rus Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 Check it out. You can see on the heel and up near the headstock that all the original lines are there; no wood removed. I use American made blue painter's tape to protect the areas where I don't want the nitro removed, and I put the acetone on paper towels and wipe the nitro finish away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrorod Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 Nice job and effect, Rus. I will vouch for Tru-Oil finish on wood. Real simple to do well, also! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkside mike Posted December 7, 2014 Author Share Posted December 7, 2014 wow. nice clean job rus! thanks guys. this forum rules... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjsinla Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 wow. nice clean job rus! thanks guys. this forum rules... Are you planning to do leave it bare or do something like an oil finish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkside mike Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 Are you planning to do leave it bare or do something like an oil finish? I was gonna leave it bare but the fine folks on this forum advised me that it's not recommended so i'll be using casey tru-oil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkside mike Posted December 9, 2014 Author Share Posted December 9, 2014 is the acetone safe on inlays and binding? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rus Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 is the acetone safe on inlays and binding? I don't use it on the binding since I think it will melt it. Scraping or sanding the binding and then masking it off is what I do. And I never used it on inlays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darkside mike Posted December 10, 2014 Author Share Posted December 10, 2014 I don't use it on the binding since I think it will melt it. Scraping or sanding the binding and then masking it off is what I do. And I never used it on inlays. Thanks a lot. Loving the results, can't believe I was going to spend hours sanding this thing... Glad I joined this forum and asked advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berd Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 I am looking at a refinish job on my SG. The previous owner made a very poor attempt at a cover paint job over the original (pink) paint. I want to first get the amateur coat of black off of her, but also want to see if there are any issues with the integrity of the pink before I go any deeper. Any recommendations on how to pull off just the (after market) top coat? Berd. I used acetone on a few of my Gibsons before refinishing them or when I wanted an unfinished neck. It works great. I can't stand it when guys sand down their Gibsons! In a couple hours I'll add a pic of a Flying V with a neck I just stripped. Don't leave it unfinished though, because then dirt and oils from your skin will get into the wood grain and make it look dirty and gross. Use gunstock oil on it after all the finish is removed. I use Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Unless it's a coat of plain 'ol latex house paint, you'll have a tough time removing one without damaging the original. I would seriously consider taking it to a well referred furniture refinisher, but many luthiers have the cosmetic skills to handle that. I was asking my guy how he removes paint or lacquer overspray and was surprised to hear the answer...a little water and 0000 steel wool. If you're lucky the bond to the orig sheen won't be very good. You may be able to gently slip a razor under the paint and skim much of it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berd Posted January 11, 2015 Share Posted January 11, 2015 Thanks. I will give that a try. I may end up just doing the guitar top. Luthier quotes for a strip & refinish are actually more than I paid for her... Some girlfriends get expensive, but they are always worth it. Unless it's a coat of plain 'ol latex house paint, you'll have a tough time removing one without damaging the original. I would seriously consider taking it to a well referred furniture refinisher, but many luthiers have the cosmetic skills to handle that. I was asking my guy how he removes paint or lacquer overspray and was surprised to hear the answer...a little water and 0000 steel wool. If you're lucky the bond to the orig sheen won't be very good. You may be able to gently slip a razor under the paint and skim much of it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 is the acetone safe on inlays and binding? Not safe on most plastics used on guitars, including bindings, "pearloid" inlays. Not sure if it would hurt natural (abalone, MOP). Alcohol will also "cloud" celluloid, but it seems to return to normal. Learned that one the hard way. Paint strippers in general will also harm plastics of this type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I used lacquer thinner. I then wiped on one coat of what was labeled Danish Oil. A couple days later my dog brushed her wet nose against it and it ruined that spot. I thought, "Well that's pretty useless" so I put on a couple coats of wipe-on poly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Carpenter Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 On 12/6/2014 at 3:03 PM, Rus said: I used acetone on a few of my Gibsons before refinishing them or when I wanted an unfinished neck. It works great. I can't stand it when guys sand down their Gibsons! In a couple hours I'll add a pic of a Flying V with a neck I just stripped. Don't leave it unfinished though, because then dirt and oils from your skin will get into the wood grain and make it look dirty and gross. Use gunstock oil on it after all the finish is removed. I use Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil. Yeah man ,,, sounds least evasive ... And already have some Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil ,,, that's some good stuff ,,, thanks ... Dave ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam1980 Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 Can I use this Birchwood Casey tru oil on Korina wood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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