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Private member DiscussionFinish Repair

Varnish Repair - Cracking/Flaking alon edges

I'll open by saying I know nothing about varnish finishes, yet. I've seen this Brentrup mandolin with a varnish finish that has extensive lifting/flaking around almost all edges. Is there a process/chemical for consolidating varnish finish like this? (beyond the brute force GluBoost wicking I might usually do) In any of the violin video sessions, has this type of finish repair been discussed?

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Private member
I knew Hans. At the time I met him (around 2016) he was spraying spirit varnish pre-made from International Violin. His mandolins ended up with slight checking a year or so later, but I had not see…
Private member DiscussionFinish New Builds

Sparkle Burgundy Gibson Finish

Hi, I'm wondering how to achieve this color on a guitar. It's Sparkle Burgundy. I suspect the clear varnish has yellowed with age, which is why it has a coppery effect depending on the light. Can you recommend a varnish to achieve this effect? ​​Should I use a UV lamp after varnishing to age the varnish? Thanks in advance for your help.

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Ian Davlin
This is a guess, but I think that is a red translucent finish over bronze powder. Probably gold top powder. Some of the red has done been UVed out and the clear coats have turned yellow.