I would like a matte finish (low sheen)

[catnip]

I am finishing process of violin #5. Currently I am just using pumice (#FFFF 75 um) and mineral oil and 2400 micromesh to reduce the shine of the final clear coat. The problem is that there are still shining bits in the channel.

I was thinking maybe to use one final coat of artist matte varnish which is made from damar with some beeswax added. I thought I would ask if this is acceptable or will it cause some problems in the future? Damar does not seem to be very commonly used to varnish violins

I also thought of adding a bit of beeswax diluted in turpentine to my clear varnish for one last coat or making a mix of 50:50 of damar matte varnish with clear violin varnish. That way the channel will be evenly matted.

[Berl Mendenhall]

I am finishing process of violin #5. Currently I am just using pumice (#FFFF 75 um) and mineral oil and 2400 micromesh to reduce the shine of the final clear coat. The problem is that there are still shining bits in the channel.

I was thinking maybe to use one final coat of artist matte varnish which is made from damar with some beeswax added. I thought I would ask if this is acceptable or will it cause some problems in the future? Damar does not seem to be very commonly used to varnish violins

I also thought of adding a bit of beeswax diluted in turpentine to my clear varnish for one last coat or making a mix of 50:50 of damar matte varnish with clear violin varnish. That way the channel will be evenly matted.

If your talking about the read lines in the spruce (so called corduroy effect) try some pumas and mineral oil with a tooth brush and just go with the grain. Won't need to do anything else to it. If it's too mat for you use finer pumas or roughen stone.

[~ Ben Conover]

I've been thinking of a Matt finish too.

Ideally combined with some craquelure and layering.

To kill shiny spots in the fluting, try some tripoli or pumice with oil or water.

I like to make the reed lines pop through in some places, by burnishing the wood with a hard crayon, then removing the wax.

Luvly Jublee.

[TimRobinson]

I am finishing process of violin #5. Currently I am just using pumice (#FFFF 75 um) and mineral oil and 2400 micromesh to reduce the shine of the final clear coat. The problem is that there are still shining bits in the channel.

Sort of snap. My number 5 has had it's last coat of clear. As I like the old look I antiqued it (to hide the $%%$$ work and make the accidents look like the effects of age) I didn't want the high gloss the commercial varnish I used gave. I rubbed it back with tripoli mixed with oil and turps. The was too flat and uninteresting so I then used a car cut and polish - I had been buffing some touch-ups on my daugher's car. I resisted the temptation to use the electric polisher (another favorite tools video possibly) but the car stuff gave me the finish I wanted - and it resists bug splatter!

Photos will come for general amusement soonish.

Tim

[David Burgess]

I am finishing process of violin #5. Currently I am just using pumice (#FFFF 75 um) and mineral oil and 2400 micromesh to reduce the shine of the final clear coat. The problem is that there are still shining bits in the channel.

You could media blast it.

Small Media Blaster

[fiddlecollector]

You could media blast it.

Small Media Blaster

Or you could just finish with oil by itself,most oils dry to a matt/satin sheen.

[Michael K.]

The best way to get a matte finish is to smooth the final coat with a very fine Pastell-chalk. I prefer a light-grey color wich I use also for "fake" dust for copys. The chalk must be rubbed through a very fine meshed sieve of 50µm or less. Smooth the varnish with the dust and a piece of cloth. No oil or other polish products are necessary. Clean up with a fresh cloth or if it is too matte you can use a varnish cleaner.

[catnip]

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I tried the fine pumice by itself and a soft toothbrush and it worked quite well for the channel. David's suggestion for a small media blaster looks interesting but it is not the direction I want to go. I still have some residual shiny spots in the corners. I will try fine pumice and a cloth next.

But I am still wondering about using artist matte varnish which I know is made from damar with a bit of beeswax added. Has this been tried as matte varnish for a violin? Is adding a bit of beeswax to the last clear coat a good idea for a matte finish?

The spruce top has some interesting flame; that is why I want to use a golden amber color.

There still a some shiny bits in the corner. (This corner's bee-sting is too long; an error I hope not to repeat)

[Arsalan]

On 8/16/2010 at 7:53 AM, fiddlecollector said:

Or you could just finish with oil by itself,most oils dry to a matt/satin sheen.

What kind of oil please ?