Official Luthiers Forum!

I ran across this recently and thought it was interesting.

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtop ... 2&t=246076

I'm actually going to use this method to re-finish a gun stock, but thought it might work for guitars as well.

Which is the more durable finish, Tru-oil, or shellac?

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Regards,
Phillip Patton

http://www.pattonblades.com

The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price has faded.

https://hoosierbladesmith.wordpress.com

When I got to the part about using Armor all I quit reading. Armor all contains silicone. Get that in your shop and you'll have problems for years.

Ironically there's a guy in the next town from me who re finishes gun stocks with Tru-Oil. I've re finished a few or his re finish jobs after the tru oil wore off, with Polyester.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

I'm big on French Polish and have used that finish/technique on most of the instruments I've built. Shellac is great stuff--very durable and attractive when applied properly, but not so good when an instrument is likely to be subjected to water or alcohol....

OK--I build banjos. Many of my instruments are destined to live much of their lives in outdoor festivals subject to the elements that nature dishes out (water) as well as the punishment that players can dish out (alcohol). Tru Oil fits in well in these cases. It's not nearly as problematic with water and alcohol as shellac is.

As for durability, after having used both for many years, I can't say that I really see any difference between the two. When they're applied properly, both shellac and Tru Oil provide very durable and repairable finishes. Just depends on what you're looking for. I would steer clear of the Armor All though....

Dave