Flaunting The Imperfection

Staining the Back

Staining the Headstock and neck

Well, I managed to both charge the camera and put the walnut stain onto the back of The Old Gordo *, so here are a couple of fotos.

It will need a while to dry so it probably won't be until after Xmas that I get to do the front, but it looks pretty cool to me so far, so I'm reasonably chuffed. It nicely displays where I glued the cracks, which is always a bonus (ahem).

Flaunt the imperfection - the story of my life.

I can't quite decide whether to stain it all and then do the oil, or finish the back before I start the front. It's a toughy, I have to admit.

To do this all, I bought a 'Gun Stock Tarting-up' set with the stain, oil and polish in it, along with sand paper/wire wool etc.

All very nice, but it was the free target that most impressed me. Glow in the dark and self-adhesive - great for putting on some body's back as they leave a New Year party this year. All those drunken Young Farmers living around here will have a ball.


****** Musical Interlude **********

Well, as it happens the stain had dried before I had gotten around to posting this missive, and so I went ahead and gave the back of the body, neck and headstock an initial coat of Tru-Oil, which looks rather nifty. The stain has gone into the scratches and scrapes beautifully and the oil has brought them and the grain out super-smartly. I'm really pleased.

Oiling the Back

No doubt, I'll have wire-wooled and re-coated it before I get around to putting this up too, so you'll probably be able to see what I mean.

******* Another Gap of Hours ******
Well, I smoothed it down with the wire wool and gave it another coat of Tru-oil. Left it a couple more hours yet, and did it again.

It really does look cool and a fair few shades darker than the Danish Oil had left it, so I'm pretty pleased with that. I'll finish the back before I start on the front, I think as it seems the right thing to do.
Hopefully the oil will be finished by tomorrow and I can have a play with the 'Conditioner' or polish as I would innocently call it.
.
This is all so exciting that I've even dug out the new wire, pots and switch, so I might put them together. just for the hell of it, like.

There's always something productive about holibobs I've noticed. I guess it is a good way to escape the bratskis...

*** The Next Day ****
Well, Crissie Eve and the oil on the back is done, is verily sheeny and looks rather good, I have to say. As the next step is to wax it, I've decided to start on the front, and that has now been stained too. Once that is dry I'll do the Tru-oil thing and hopefully wax the whole guitar as one next week. It would be nice to be putting it together before the year is out, just depends on the way Xmas pans out, I guess.

Anyway, once again, have a fine Crimbulmus.

* Note to self:
Wear gloves next time you use stain stuff, the eighty-a-day-habit look is sooo outdated.

A Well Oiled Headstock - with stain enhance cracks

Staining the Front -
Loving the grain and the scrapiness