Arakelian's Myrrh Varnish

[kraut]

Has anyone out there tried the myrrh varnish and process of applying it put forth in "The Violin" by Sourene Arakelian?

Pete

[Seth_Leigh]

Hmm, no but I bet it smells really good going on.

[MANFIO]

I like this book, but I've never tried his varnish.

[Seth_Leigh]

So far I've found this link to buying the German version of this book but I'm still high and dry on any substantive information from the book itself. I'm still looking.

Ok, here it is in English too. The English version has ISBN number 0-933224-36-2 in case that helps.

[kraut]

I bet it smells good too, Seth, but I'm still waiting for the myrrh to arrive from Kremer. I like the book in general, but I am curious whether the varnish formulae were reliable, or just "smoke and mirrors".

Pete

[Seth_Leigh]

Are you willing to give us who don't have the book an idea what's in that varnish, and what he recommends as a method for its application?

[kraut]

I can't type out all the formulae as he gives quite a few, so the short answer is that you sort the myrrh pieces into colors- yellow, yellow-brown, brown, and red-brown(ruby). You then take the myrrh according to color and dissolve it into alcohol and add copaiva balsam, oil of rosemary, sandarac, etc. to achieve certain colors. He gives a different recipe/recipes to achieve certain end colors. He uses a myrrh based ground under the myrrh varnish.

His theory is that the properties of the myrrh create a varnish that is similar to old Cremonese varnishes, both in appearance and flexibility. This theory seems somewhat plausable to me, though my knowledge about resins is limited to what I read in the Hamerl varnish book. So...I thought I'd try it on my latest violin and see how it goes.

Pete

[Nial]

About ten or fifteen years ago I tried it. Its a transparent and attractive varnish with major disadvantages.

Pigment, dry, all the ones I tried coagulated badly. W&N indian yellow, kremer alazarin red, madder orange, W&N rose madder etc etc.

Its impossible to brush on as it dissolves and picks up previous coats.

The solubility problem can be overcome by airbrushing the varnish (and this varnish for me worked particularly well with this method of application) and the pigment problem can be overcome by adding a drop or two of NRI varnish levelling additive, which suggests that surface tension is the issue here. One final warning...don't rub down your final coats using soap as a lubricant.

I see instruments of mine from this period finished with this varnish from time to time and it has worn well (if a little soft, I wouldn't say too soft), and also seems stable.

I didn't like the ground in the book, and though I experimented on scraps felt it compromised transparency, so didn't use it on instruments.

Hope this helps!

[kraut]

THANK YOU!!!!

[jmasters]

My $.02 ...

""His theory is that the properties of the myrrh create a varnish that is similar to old Cremonese varnishes, both in appearance and flexibility. This theory seems somewhat plausable to me, though my knowledge about resins is limited to what I read in the Hamerl varnish book. So...I thought I'd try it on my latest violin and see how it goes. ""

A lot of resins have volatile (essential) oils that may escape over a period of years. After all, the stuff is smelly for a good reason. Also, it was used as an embalming resin. I once read that the purpose of the Gift of Frankensense and Myrrh to Jesus was so that the parents could bury him nicely if he died.

Don't know how long it takes for the oils to go, but I would tend to be worried. The fact that the varnish cuts into previous coats tells me that it is likely to be a short-lived solvent. The fact that it is an inscense tells me the same thing. Of course, it is likely that there is a mix of several light-molecule oils.

[~ Ben Conover]

The Hammerl varnish book says that Myrrh was used for a long time, as a sealer.

I got some from Kremmer and added it to some Shellac & Benzoin in alcohol, for use as a sealer.

[Thiago Benites]

Hello,

 

I'd like to describe some of my experiences with this varnish. I'm not a professional violin maker and I just tried it with some old violins. 

 

The varnish is very difficult to work with. Even if your a professional, you need to learn how it works and I'm not surprised if people find it very beautiful but give up after some time. I dedicate myself to it and I got a viola ready, that is not specially beautiful because I'm still learning how to apply varnish. I couldn't get it very plain and I tried not only once to get a high glance. I'll dedicate myself after some months again.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Thiago Benites