chuck11976

That's easy. You need:

1. Professional spray equipment

2. A professional finish to use, a crosslinking finish like Polyurethane, Polyester or Catalyzed Lacquer

3. Professional Rubout and Buffing equipment

4. Much Experience using one or more of these products

...and even on a good day, you can put a fingernail in lacquer if you try, lacquer is not a rock hard finish.

It has it's good points and bad, and I like it, but 'rock hard' isn't one of it's strong points.

Lacquer is a film finish, and ANY crosslinking finish will kill any film finish any day of the week hands down for 'rock hardness'.

Drak-What does "crosslinking" mean? And could you specifically give brand name, part number, whatever specific info on a particular product. I am familiar with polyurethane but what is polyester? Brand name and part number for polyester?

What type of finish are you using?

At this point I'm looking to you guys to tell me what to use. My main concern is the "HARDNESS" of the finish. What is the big industry secret to that HARD finish?

I have a question that is for an experienced professional in the area of guitar finishing. How do I go about getting that "rock hard" clear coat finish on my project strat. I have tried several things before but none of them come out like the guitars I pull off the shelves in a store. Those finishes are ROCK HARD. Mine are nice and mirror glossy but seem to stay soft, like I can put a fingernail impression into the finish even months later. Why? Please walk me through PRECISELY what to do. Thank you so much.