Old Cracked Nitro Look?

[DC Ross]

Any ideas how to get the look of old cracked nitro like on a Gibson from the 40s (without waiting 60 years)?

[St.wise-professor]

There are a few ways to do that. Some people use a razor blade and cut thechecking into the finish. but hte best way to get it IMO is to warm it with a hair dryer, you have to get it really warm then put it into the freezer. That is pretty much how natural checking occurs wood expanding and contracting causing the finish to crack. there are some videos about it on youtube.

[DC Ross]

Thanks, I'd like to avoid the razor blade option, it doesn't quite look authentic (to me anyway). I'll give the heat/cold cycle a shot, but I'm pretty sure the natural checking occurs from the nitro shrinking over time.

Edited November 25, 2010 by DC Ross

[St.wise-professor]

Thanks, I'd like to avoid the razor blade option, it doesn't quite look authentic (to me anyway). I'll give the heat/cold cycle a shot, but I'm pretty sure the natural checking occurs from the nitro shrinking over time.

No once nitro gasses out it is what it is. The old guitars you see checked are from swelling and shrinking of the wood from being in the cold and then being brought into a warm club causing it to crack just like a glass dish you put ice cream in right out of the dishwasher. Humidity plays a rold in swelling too. Switch that first part from warm club to cold night.

Edited December 1, 2010 by St.wise-professor

[pauliemc]

There are a few ways to do that. Some people use a razor blade and cut thechecking into the finish. but hte best way to get it IMO is to warm it with a hair dryer, you have to get it really warm then put it into the freezer. That is pretty much how natural checking occurs wood expanding and contracting causing the finish to crack. there are some videos about it on youtube.

prety much what i do, but no hair dryer. that tends to get it done in small areas at a time. I let the guitar sit in a drying room @ about 25 degrees C. leav it there for at least 24 hours then i take it out & put it straight into a box freezer for about 15 mins. then back out into the heat with a big fan moving air accross it @ about 30C. whole guitar cheks fairly evenly. More natural looking than the blade approach.

[WezV]

i agree with pauliemc. hair dryers (or compressed air in a tin if you would rather go cold than hot) can be used to create crazing but it is a bit too localised to create the most natural look without a lot of practice I have seen some good ones done that way, but most have short spiderwebby crazing rather than the longer cracks you tend to get on genuine vintage guitars - but then it does vary guitar to guitar by quite a bit