Neck finish

[H R Fisher]

 What methods are used to accent the flames on the neck. I usually get nice flamed blocks but once it is shaped and finished the flame are somewhat diminished. Thanks in advanced,   Henry

[Brad Dorsey]

A method taught by Hans Nebel is to smear a small amount brown artists' oil paint all over the unvarnished playing surface after sanding, then to immediately wipe off as much of it as possible.  The idea is that this will accent the flame, because a small amount of the brown will remain in the wood pores in the places where the grain runs more perpendicular to the surface.

[Don Noon]

I haven't tried brown paint, but that seems like it would produce a burned flame; not the results I'm looking for.

What I have tried is a light application of tung oil, wiped off as completely as possible, and then dried well.  Some oil remains in the wood to enhance chatoyance, but not enough on the surface to create gloss and friction.  Tung I think is more waterproof than linseed and shouldn't get sticky.  I remember one violin (not mine) where the neck was treated with linseed, and it was like glue.

[ernym]

5 hours ago, H R Fisher said:

 What methods are used to accent the flames on the neck. I usually get nice flamed blocks but once it is shaped and finished the flame are somewhat diminished. Thanks in advanced,   Henry

UV is best to highlight but takes time. Sodium nitrite can get the contrast started. Then introduce color to darken and highlight without burning the flames.

Don can use a clear tung oil because his wood is already darkened with torrefaction.

[Michael Darnton]

Not what I personally do, but if you load the wood with mineral oil first and then immediately put on the oil color and wipe it around and off the color won't make the grain look as dirty because the mineral oil is filling the pores already.

[Ganymede Piggot]

Harry Wake said use a small amount of potassium permanganate in water as a stain, then follow with boiled linseed oil (including maybe a french polish).  it has a fascinating brown, yellow, dark purple color.  It might fade slowly, but by the time it does it should have been replaced by real grime.  Use the rest of the bottle and some glycerin to make a volcano.  Also i think MD has mentioned using asphalt (tar?) as coloring in varnish.  So maybe the same in some more appropriate solvent for a neck

[Shunyata]

Potassium permanganate is pretty aggressive stuff.  Not to say you can’t dilute it, but be careful about overdoing the coloration.

[AJH]

Folgers instant coffee. Rub it in and wipe off, let dry. Follow with a light wipe of walnut oil, burnish with brown paper bag. donezo.

[barnesviolins]

I have a jar of Alcohol color I mixed up with some reddish brown and a touch of green.  Esay to dilute and reapply if not dark enough.  Dries Quickly.  Then Lindseed oil and finally a shellac french polish.  

 

Personly though, I don't recommend highly flamed necks.  Plainer maple is more stable, and wont wear with ripples which can bother a player in time.  Also, highly flamed maple can warp easier than plainer maple.  

 

Good luck!

Dorian