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I have a dred that got some cold checking on the top during overnight air shipping 3 years ago. It recently needed a bridge re-glue and I was thinking about repairing the finish cracks. They look clean, but I'm sure the guitar has been polished a few times and they could be contaminated.
Anyone had any luck working retarder into checks this late and getting a good result?

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I've repaired some some small checks successfully by opening them up carefully with a knife, and filling with super glue--first thin , then medium, scrape back, wet sand, buff. Frank Ford has a description of his process here:http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/Technique/Finish/Lacquer/CheckRepair/checkfill.html. The checking in your photos is bigger than anything I've repaired (except by refinishing). If it was me, I'd try Frank's method.

For nitro, you can wick solvent/retarder mix into it to blend it together then polish it out...

I had a G string uke with cold checks, and no solvent will dissolve conversion varnish, and since the check was all over the body and neck, I refinished it instead.

Just pray that the Martin isn't using pre-cat or conversion varnish... they really do not care about solvents.

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Cat-gut strings are made from kitten guts, stretched out to near breaking point and then hardened with grue saliva. As a result these give a feeling of Pain and anguish whenever played, and often end up playing themselves backwards as part of satanic rituals.

Typhoon Guitars
http://www.typhoon-guitars.com

CA on nitro has a 50/50 chance as it may keep sinking in the finish. CA may also stain the spruce yellow , You can try wicking in some thinner and retarder and see if that will work . Best advice is to let it be as it won't hurt the guitar and many martins have this.
Martin uses Nitro finishes . If you want them to disappear you will need to take this to a pro finisher that is experienced in Nitro repair. This is not as easy as one may think to fix. The finish will need to be melted in and resanded and buffed up.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Todd where do you get the Butyl cellosolve?

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Thanks guys, I think I'll probably leave them alone. A proper repair would probably require a complete top re-finish as there are small checks above the bridge too. Pickguard would have to come off etc.
Sometimes the enemy of good is better.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.