Finish/laquer question

Joe Harvatt · 06-07-2012, 02:51 PM

I'm wondering what would happen to a mahogany body that was stained (cherry) and then not buffed or lacquered or sealed.

Would the finish rub off on clothes etc?

Joe Harvatt · 06-11-2012, 10:09 AM

No-one knows?!

skeels · 06-11-2012, 10:13 AM

I think your best bet if you want to keep that bare wood feel is tung oil.

Not a good idea to leave the stained wood. Don't know if it would rub off per se, tung oil finishes are awesome.

mwcarl · 06-11-2012, 11:05 AM

The stain would absolutely bleed onto things that it touches. How much will depend on the stain. I would at the very least put on an oil finish to seal it up. For what it's worth, I'm lead to believe that most mahogany is normally not stained, but covered in tinted finish.

silent_k · 06-11-2012, 11:06 AM

Any kind of stain has the potential to come off if you don't coat it with something else. Stains sit on top of the wood rather than in it, and if it gets rubbed or wet or anything else, it's likely to leave a trace on whatever touches it. There are some products that are combinations of stains and, for example, polyurethane, but they may not be good for guitars. If you're looking for a natural color, you can also check out danish oil -- the Watco brand comes in a variety of different shades, and while it doesn't provide the kind of protection that a drying oil or a lacquer does, it gives some protection and looks and feels great. If you want something heavier duty I'd suggest a catalyzed tung oil like Waterlox or Formby's -- pure tung can be a pain in the ass to work with unless you have controlled humidity and temperature, and lots of time. Something like Waterlox can be applied over dyed wood (haven't tried it with stain).

Joe Harvatt · 06-11-2012, 11:49 AM

Thanks for the replies.

I'm gonna be going for a sort of grimy finish, maybe even slightly patchy. So perhaps stain and then tung oil (or the equivalents mentioned)?

Joe Harvatt · 06-11-2012, 01:42 PM

A more concise question might be, how would I finish a mahogany body to look like this?

Metal_Webb · 06-11-2012, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Harvatt

A more concise question might be, how would I finish a mahogany body to look like this?

Oil of the Tung

Joe Harvatt · 07-23-2012, 07:14 AM

Can tung oil be applied on top of any wood stain?

TankJon666 · 07-23-2012, 07:23 AM

You could apply an ebony stain and then rub it back but not too much so you lose all the black stain and put the cherry stain over all of it then tung oil.

Ghost40 · 07-23-2012, 01:24 PM

I have done this with multiple guitars. I have stained them, and used tung oil to finish it. It sets the stain very nice, while keeping the natural feel. I typically use Minwax stains

Joe Harvatt · 07-25-2012, 01:38 AM

Thanks man, I'll check out minwax. Seems hard to get hold of guitar stains in the UK.

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06-07-2012, 02:51 PM	#1
Joe Harvatt SS.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 126 Thanked: 3 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Finish/laquer question I'm wondering what would happen to a mahogany body that was stained (cherry) and then not buffed or lacquered or sealed. Would the finish rub off on clothes etc?

06-11-2012, 10:13 AM	#3
skeels ..to pay the beels Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: milwaukee,WI Posts: 2,683 Thanked: 32 Feedback Score: 19 reviews	I think your best bet if you want to keep that bare wood feel is tung oil. Not a good idea to leave the stained wood. Don't know if it would rub off per se, tung oil finishes are awesome. nojyeloot likes this.

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06-11-2012, 10:09 AM	#2
Joe Harvatt SS.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 126 Thanked: 3 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	No-one knows?!

06-11-2012, 11:05 AM	#4
mwcarl SS.org Regular Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Calgary, Canada Posts: 137 Thanked: 0 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	The stain would absolutely bleed onto things that it touches. How much will depend on the stain. I would at the very least put on an oil finish to seal it up. For what it's worth, I'm lead to believe that most mahogany is normally not stained, but covered in tinted finish.

06-11-2012, 11:06 AM	#5
silent_k derpa derp! Join Date: May 2011 Location: MA Posts: 269 Thanked: 5 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Any kind of stain has the potential to come off if you don't coat it with something else. Stains sit on top of the wood rather than in it, and if it gets rubbed or wet or anything else, it's likely to leave a trace on whatever touches it. There are some products that are combinations of stains and, for example, polyurethane, but they may not be good for guitars. If you're looking for a natural color, you can also check out danish oil -- the Watco brand comes in a variety of different shades, and while it doesn't provide the kind of protection that a drying oil or a lacquer does, it gives some protection and looks and feels great. If you want something heavier duty I'd suggest a catalyzed tung oil like Waterlox or Formby's -- pure tung can be a pain in the ass to work with unless you have controlled humidity and temperature, and lots of time. Something like Waterlox can be applied over dyed wood (haven't tried it with stain).

06-11-2012, 11:49 AM	#6
Joe Harvatt SS.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 126 Thanked: 3 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Thanks for the replies. I'm gonna be going for a sort of grimy finish, maybe even slightly patchy. So perhaps stain and then tung oil (or the equivalents mentioned)?

06-11-2012, 01:42 PM	#7
Joe Harvatt SS.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 126 Thanked: 3 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	A more concise question might be, how would I finish a mahogany body to look like this?

07-23-2012, 07:14 AM	#9
Joe Harvatt SS.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 126 Thanked: 3 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Can tung oil be applied on top of any wood stain?

07-23-2012, 07:23 AM	#10
TankJon666 SS.org Regular Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Worthing, UK Posts: 463 Thanked: 6 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	You could apply an ebony stain and then rub it back but not too much so you lose all the black stain and put the cherry stain over all of it then tung oil.

07-23-2012, 01:24 PM	#11
Ghost40 Dude Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Maryland Posts: 808 Thanked: 23 Feedback Score: 8 reviews	I have done this with multiple guitars. I have stained them, and used tung oil to finish it. It sets the stain very nice, while keeping the natural feel. I typically use Minwax stains

07-25-2012, 01:38 AM	#12
Joe Harvatt SS.org Regular Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bristol, UK Posts: 126 Thanked: 3 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Thanks man, I'll check out minwax. Seems hard to get hold of guitar stains in the UK.