Sharkskin: Has anyone used this for violins, cellos, violas?

[l33tplaya]

Has anyone used this?  Sounds like something that can be reused, cleaned, indefinitely...

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Sanding/StewMac_Sharkskin_Abrasive.html?lac_guid=eeee7525-3289-e811-80de-ecb1d775572a&utm_campaign=M1952&utm_medium=email&utm_source=EPA&utm_content=M1952_B_20180718

[Nick Allen]

8 minutes ago, l33tplaya said:

Has anyone used this?  Sounds like something that can be reused, cleaned, indefinitely...

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Tools_for_Sanding/StewMac_Sharkskin_Abrasive.html?lac_guid=eeee7525-3289-e811-80de-ecb1d775572a&utm_campaign=M1952&utm_medium=email&utm_source=EPA&utm_content=M1952_B_20180718

It's just a Sandvik clone I'm pretty sure. I've used Sandvik, and it's awesome for things like neck mortises and pegbox sides and stuff. 

[edi malinaric]

Hi All - not wanting to change the topic - but has anyone harvested genuine sharkskin? On one of our local beaches we occasionally have young hammerhead sharks lying around after a storm. Often wondered what part of the skin one would use and how to cure it.

cheers edi

[uncle duke]

15 minutes ago, edi malinaric said:

Often wondered what part of the skin one would use and how to cure it.

cheers edi

The back and sides I know have the roughness.  Shark skin is like if you move your hand from head to tail there is the smooth feeling.  If you try moving your hand from tail towards the head you get the roughness that feels like sandpaper, something like a 150 grit, maybe 120 or 180 grit.  It's been awhile since I've been around sharks.

Alive sharks smell very bad and I can't say 100% for sure, but they may smell better to the human nose when they're dead but regardless it's a bad smell.

Wear gloves and start cutting/peeling squares of skin, put into a water bucket and sort out when you get home, I guess.

[Conor Russell]

I've used dogfish skin. Just the white belly is fine enough.

 

I seldom use it, just finishing with a scraper, but when I do, I sand  the surface sideways, so that the scales slice at a skew  . It works amazingly well, and leaves a fine finish.

[edi malinaric]

Thanks Connor - belly it is - any special preparation? I've done the occasional bit of Cape Cobra snakeskin tanning (local garden hazard). Maybe I'll just skin off a strip of sharkskin and try various things.

I've searched our local mountainsides for equisetum but nothing doing.

cheers edi

[mood2000]

On 7/18/2018 at 6:51 PM, l33tplaya said:

Has anyone used this?

   

https://maestronet.com/forum/index.php?/topic/339885-sandvik-sandplate-substitute/

 

[Guy Harrison]

On 7/18/2018 at 8:47 PM, edi malinaric said:

Thanks Connor - belly it is - any special preparation? I've done the occasional bit of Cape Cobra snakeskin tanning (local garden hazard). Maybe I'll just skin off a strip of sharkskin and try various things.

I've searched our local mountainsides for equisetum but nothing doing.

cheers edi

Hi Edi-  Here's a blogpost with some information on preparing sharkskin:  http://dequincey-violin.com/2016/01/shark-skin/

[Michael_Molnar]

A few days ago in Iceland, I had the opportunity to handle some sharkskin. I found it to be coarse and somewhat inflexible. I think your time is better spent making instruments not substitutes for modern abrasives. 

[Guy Harrison]

1 hour ago, Michael_Molnar said:

A few days ago in Iceland, I had the opportunity to handle some sharkskin. I found it to be coarse and somewhat inflexible. I think your time is better spent making instruments not substitutes for modern abrasives. 

Though I'm always getting older,  I like to keep my curiosity alive! : )  

[edi malinaric]

Hi Guy - thanks for that link - gives me an aiming point.

Hi Michael - the problem is not the making but the getting rid of! Any thoughts?

cheers edi

[barnesviolins]

52 minutes ago, edi malinaric said:

Hi Michael - the problem is not the making but the getting rid of! Any thoughts?

 

Make less?.....

[edi malinaric]

10 hours ago, barnesviolins said:

 

Make less?.....

Hi Barnesviolin - excellent suggestion- who buys partially completed violins? I have a few garlands, necks and plates lying around.

[Michael_Molnar]

16 hours ago, edi malinaric said:

Hi Guy - thanks for that link - gives me an aiming point.

Hi Michael - the problem is not the making but the getting rid of! Any thoughts?

cheers edi

Edi,

Do you have a fireplace?

[edi malinaric]

6 hours ago, Michael_Molnar said:

Edi,

Do you have a fireplace?

Hi Michael - yes - but following our recent ban on any garden watering I also now have no almond trees, plum trees, cedar tree. However I have lots of firewood.

However winter might not be over just yet - and there's always next year.

It works superbly - made by a friend of mine.

http://www.earthfire.co.za/

cheers edi