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I was searching for information on the Behlen sight yesterday and saw that the rock hard table top varnish has been discontinued and supply is limited to stock on hand. Just when I was finally getting comfortable with the application process. Wood's solar cured poly looks like it might work or EM6000.
The search and testing begins now.

Cecil

Bought some at woodcraft in lenexa ks , Try woodcraft in creve coeur mo , ?? or woodcraft

I bought some last week too Ernie. I have those two quarts on hand but the point is that when the current stocks are gone there will be no more.

Cecil

Cecil-
Do you have a link for the information on this? Has it been discontinued or is there a shortage due to the recent fire at their production facility in Lenoir, NC? They just lost a warehouse full of finishes.

I see no trace of this on Behlen's website, or on the web, can you provide a link?
Rockhard is available everywhere, from Amazon to Rockler's…

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

It does say that in Behlens 2010 product catalog, on page 12. You download it as a pdf from their home page.

Every retailer seems to still be listing it.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

I just saw it, 2010 catalogue, we're mid-2011 and there seems to be an ample stock in a lot of places. Weird…

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

It looks to me like they might be just discontinuing selling it in gallons. It's the only option in the catalog that has the footnote symbol next to it. I just sent Behlen an email asking for clarification. If it has been discontinued, I guess I better learn how to use another finish since it's the only one I've ever used.

Matt

I suspect Rockhard will still be available for a while until the stock slowly disappears.
In any case I think I have tried almost every oil varnish suitable for steel strings. Here are those that really work:

- Epifanes clear varnish, a medium to short oil varnish if mixed with the proprietary accelerator. The best quality oil varnish around IMHO, less amber than RH but still with that oil varnish "character". This is my "standard" varnish.
- Ace Interior Varnish, paler than Epifanes
- Pratt & Lambert #38, a very pale varnish, the palest I know. At .003" film thickness it can look like a real clear finish (i.e. untinted nitro). Fine Euro and Englemann tops look great with this one.
- Behlen Water White Restoration varnish, a very clear spar, similar to Rockhard except paler and a tad softer when fresh.

All those are widely available, the Epifanes can be ordered directly from the US office:
http://www.epifanes.com/

They can all be brushed or sprayed at the desired consistency and be thinned with naphtha or (real) turpentine, and acetone. I'd avoid mineral spirits and paint thinner like the plague. They all buff beautifully.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

I sent an e-mail to Behlen to get the information from the source. It turns out that their catalog is a little misleading. The fact is only the gallon size has been discontinued. It has to do with the amount of VOC per container and shipping regulations. The quart size will continue to be available for the foreseeable future.

Sorry for all the confusion

Cecil

I also got an email from Behlen saying only the gallon cans have been discontinued.

Matt