How Do You Crack A Finish?

[ZiKi]

I'm in the process of doing a relic and saw some examples and a few had some cracked finishes. Whats the easiest and fastest way to crack a finish? Put it in a freezer then a oven?

any ideas would help too

[bassman]

There was a thread on this topic in the very recent past--- try searching within the last month or two topics and you will find the info you need. Good luck.

[unusual71]

an interesting cracked finish you could try, would be to cut CD's into squares, you could get i guess 2 big rectanglses and 2 littler ones, and stick them in the microwave for a few seconds...the time would vary to taste. This crackles the foil....and sparks in the process so don't do it in your best microwave, but it leaves you with squares you could glue on or make a veneer out of that would look VERY cool and if not cool, at least quite orginal

[HeavnerGuitarWorks]

You have to heat the body up and then cool it down very fast. I stuck a strat body in the oven at about 150-200 degrees for about an hour, then put it straight in the freezer til it was cool. Completely cracked the finish. Thats the way the Gibson Custom Shop does it on their aged Pauls as well.... except on a bigger scale of course. Just keep an eye on it while its in the oven. If it is a plywood body, I wouldn't suggest this method. I would also keep an eye on the glue line if it is a multi piece body. You can always set it at a lower temp for a longer time if you're worried.

[DaveK]

I used to think that "heating and cooling" was how cracking was done as well. Like anything else, there are many ways to do this and some will argue one way is better than the other.

I had the unique pleasure of meeting Tom Murphy (for those who don't know, Tom does the Gibson relics). I know for a fact that Tom actually scores the finish with a razor to achieve the effect. If you look at the Gibson relics next to the Fenders you will see what a HUGE difference this technique makes! It is very laborious & time consuming and there is a certain science in determining how a finish checks....once you know it, you can spot forgeries a mile away!!!

I have done both techniques and i will tell you...It is worth the time & effort to do it Mr. Murphy's way! I am not even a Gibson guy and I think Murphy's stuff is where the relic artistry is at it's best

Edited March 25, 2005 by DaveK

[RGGR]

Isn't this where Radio Shack spray coolant comes handy. I think it's liquid CO2 that expands to gas.......kinda like your fire extinquisher.....

[DaveK]

As I said....many ways of doing it. Coolant willl work, but Murphy's technique is FAR better!

Oh...and Murphy's technique will work for Poly finishes....Try getting anything but Nitro to crack by freezing it & you will be wasting your time!

Isn't this where Radio Shack spray coolant comes handy. I think it's liquid CO2 that expands to gas.......kinda like your fire extinquisher.....

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[Brian]

And take pictures we wanna see

[DaveK]

I got them....just have no way of posting them

I have a great example on the murphy technique on a Les Paul headstock

I can e-mail if someone will post

And take pictures we wanna see

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[bowser]

Try www.photobucket.com

[unclej]

one of the best relics that i've ever personally seen was brought into the shop by a buddy of mine who bought some dry ice and just laid it on the body and moved it around watching the amount and depth of the crack. he then suspended the body a couple of inces over a vat of amonia over night which made the exposed wood darker and added to the aged look.

[DaveK]

Here is an example of the Murphy technique done on a Les Paul Headstock (Thanks to Bowser for the tip on Photobucket.com)

Thoughts?

[Marzocchi705]

That just looks like machine marks to me, i dont like it. Relic strats are nice, but pristene Les Pauls are even better. And on topic, i would hit my finish with a big ole block of wood, but im no relic-er.

Just my .02 pence

[DaveK]

To each their own........

My point is not to convert those that don't like relics over to the "dark side". I am simply trying to demonstrate that the Murphy technique does, in fact, look very authentic when it comes to checking.

Let me assure you that a LOT of time and dedication was put into doing this BY HAND, not machine!

The topic is "how do you crack a finish".....not "do you LIKE a cracked finish"

That just looks like machine marks to me, i dont like it. Relic strats are nice, but pristene Les Pauls are even better. And on topic, i would hit my finish with a big ole block of wood, but im no relic-er.

Just my .02 pence

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[Marzocchi705]

Yes, thats why i said I would hit my finish with a block of wood. Its how would you crack a finish, i said how i would. And i didnt say i didnt like relics either, i relic strat is a beutiful thing, and then i went on to say that i would rather a nice clean, well looked after LP, altho not in thoes words. I thought that head stock looked like machining marks from a planer, not that it was done my machine, yes it probibly is very hard to do, and yes it does look good, but i dont like it.

ON TOPIC - I think the heating up and rapid cooling will work, physics has taught me that (bunsen burners and test tubes lol).

[Brian]

I Like it.......

[Devon Headen]

That's pretty incredible Dave. Is that one of the relics for the Gibson custom shop? That sheds some light on why their prices are so high. I'd be scared to try the razorblade method (although it can obviously give great results) for fear of just making it look dumb. It seems like that technique would be very difficult to master.

[DaveK]

You can't ever really screw up if you remember never to cut all the way through the clear.

For some reason, Gibsons tend to have crack lines closer together, so they require more work.

That's pretty incredible Dave. Is that one of the relics for the Gibson custom shop? That sheds some light on why their prices are so high. I'd be scared to try the razorblade method (although it can obviously give great results) for fear of just making it look dumb. It seems like that technique would be very difficult to master.

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