Violin Forum/Message Board

niceties55 · Junior Member Joined: 18 Feb 2015 Posts: 4

I have an older violin (over 100 years Smile

that is starting to look a bit dull in the wood and I was wondering what I can use to polish the body and the fingerboard up?

Working at a guitar shop, I use guitar polish on the guitars there and they do great on them, but I know the finish is different on a guitar.

I was wondering what the best way to shine up my violin (and the bow for that matter Smile

Thanks!

PS. First post!!

fjodor · Member Joined: 28 Jan 2013 Posts: 60

Hello,
For the fingerboard you can use a little tripoli and linseed oil and rub it in with a cloth.
I'm not an expert on instrument polishes but I have sometimes used a product called super nikco on my own instruments with nice results.

DonLeister · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2015 7:10 pm Post subject:

I second the super nikco, as long as there are no open seams or cracks. I have never tried it on bows but it should work as long as you keep from getting it on the hair. Well, it may not do so well on the metal either.

Mat Roop · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2015 10:27 am Post subject:

Don... do you know what is in the Super Nikco polish... I searched everywhere and can't find any info..how do you know that it does not contain silica or abrasives?
Cheers, Mat

DonLeister · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 1:09 am Post subject:

Hi Mat, the suppliers I deal with advertise that it has no silicone, I take it that is what you meant, rather than silica? I know that many shops use it and I have not heard of any problems. It doesn't seem to be very abrasive.

Mat Roop · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2015 9:54 pm Post subject:

Hi Don, yes I meant silicone... I've been south in the sun and must have fried my brain.
Thanks, Mat

Dave Chandler · Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 12:35 am Post subject: Cleaning and polishing

Something that won't hurt wood, spirit, or oil-based varnishes, but could be used as a solvent to soften and remove accumulations of dirt on a varnished surface, would be a vegatable or wood-based oil. I've used olive oil, with a little elbow grease on a soft rag. Check your cleaning rag from time to time to make sure you're not getting any color other than grey (dirt).

Something like linseed oil (a "drying oil") will form long-hydrocarbon molecules that will form permanent layers on the wood, so that's out as a solvent.

At Hobby Lobby, I've bought a 4 ounce bottle of Walnut oil, but it too is a "drying oil" so can't use it in this application either.

Lemon oil, if its pure, is good cleaner. Apricot oil is good if you can find it. So is groundnut oil but some folks have deadly allergies to peanut products and there may have been cross-contamination.

When I was a kid, my teacher, a very old retired cellist, had me clean my instrument with Ronsonol lighter fluid. But, I think I'd use it only on heavy grime, and not on a regular basis. It does disolve grime pretty good.

If you need a solvent AND a bit of cutting power, use the solvent with a piece of wool felt (you can get it in cloth shops and hobby shops in 1' square pieces for pennies).

Clean varnish surface can then be buffed to a nice finish with a clean piece from an old t-shirt.
_________________
Dave in the Blue Ridge
Southern Violin Association

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