Shellac on comb
The shellac on one of my Marine Bands has worn off the comb. This is a comb I had sanded and sealed with butcher block oil/wax stuff a year or so ago. It is sanded smooth, but still feels rough after a few minutes of playing due to porous wood.
If I apply Bulls Eye shellac on top of it, will it stick? This harp is set up perfect except for the comb and I don't want to ruin it.
What do you think?
I personally use for such repairs a varnish called ZAR ULTRA. It is a self-leveling polyurethane coating that is easy to apply, in this case by applying a drop that may even out itself. It leaves a very smooth and durable surface.
Sand down the surface lightly and apply a drop of water and let it dry, then sand gently again before applying ZAR ULTRA varnish. Use a small and fine tipped artist brush.
ZAR ULTRA is an American product.
I excuse myself for a non proper grammar!
Some customizers use shellac, and I've used it myself with good results, though nowadays I'm more inclined to use acrylic.
I went ahead and tried it... and it worked very well.
The Bulls Eye clear shellac is non-toxic and dries quickly. I got a little too much on the first go-round and the finish wasn't as smooth as I wanted. I sanded with a 320 grit and reapplied with an artist's brush... the result was perfect!
I guess time will tell if the finish is long lasting.
Thanx everyone for their participation.
Readers know, I spray ROUCHE'-THOMAS Mi-T-Mist (70% alcohol mouthpiece cleaner) onto the surfaces of my harmonica and into the slots after every performance. If you do this on a shellac covered comb, it will break down the finish and make a nice sticky mess!
I am a huge fan of Verathane Polyurethane spray-on products. Nary a problem.
Your Harpsmith,
Kinya
The only thing I ever thought about was Butcher Block oil is for food surfaces, not so sure about Shellac? I have applied multiple coats of buther block to get a really smooth surface. Just my 2 cents!