What type of varnish is used on violins?

What type of varnish is used on violins?

Varnishes for violins tend to be either oil varnish, or sprit based varnish (also known as shellac) and in this post, we’ll take a look at oil varnish. We know how good some old oil-based varnish recipes are because some renowned violin makers have been using varnishes based on centuries-old recipes.

What is the best varnish for violins?

USED BY THE TOP VIOLIN MAKERS WORLDWIDE The Eugene Holtier Varnish System produces a finish rich in color and very transparent. Only a few coats of brown are needed for a rich color. The clear varnish can be mixed to change the intensity or can be used as a final coat.

Does violin varnish affect the sound?

Varnish not only protects a violin, it also influences the instrument’s sound. Summary: Varnish does more than just provide a protective sheen to a violin. It influences the vibrations and impulses that the wood absorbs and therefore the quality of sound the instrument produces, says an expert.

Can you varnish a violin?

Varnishing. Your violin should now be the yellow/brown/honey color, the ground properly dry and cured. Generally, when varnishing, you should watch out for the following qualities: color, darkness, thinness, transparency.

How long does it take to varnish a violin?

The varnishing process is lengthy and painstaking. I first put on the ground, which takes at least two weeks to dry. The varnish itself takes another two weeks, with one thin coat a day; it requires total concentration, because each new coat can dissolve the ones already applied.

Are violins varnished?

In its raw state, it is white with a touch of gold. The wood lacks durability, so violin makers protect it from environmental damage using a varnish. It is this protective coating that gives the violin its elegant dark brown colour. Violin makers pass their varnish recipes down from one generation to the next.

How long does violin varnish take to dry?

Let dry for at least an hour. If the color looks good to you, apply to the remaining parts of the violin. Let dry for at least an hour or two otherwise you risk dissolving the last layer when putting on a fresh one. Repeat until you think its red enough.

What is violin varnish made of?

Violin varnish is applied with a brush in two or more coats. It is composed of sun-thickened oils such as linseed or walnut, oxidized resins and added coloring matter. Good historic Italian varnish is highly translucent and soft, yet friable.

What is oil varnish?

: a varnish consisting of a solution of natural or synthetic resins in a drying oil (as linseed oil or tung oil)

How do you dry a violin?

The most common way to do this is with a dampit, which is a soft rubber tube with a sponge inside – it looks like a small green snake. You immerse it in water for about 20 seconds, dry it off, squeeze out any excess water, and then put the entire snake inside the fiddle, feeding it into the round part of the f-hole.