A couple of thoughts regarding refinishing- First, when all else fails and it looks like economics are going to rule the day the easiest way out is to go with black lacquer. Forget the tedious task of matching and coloring veneer, regluing loose veneer, and all the other time consuming work that natural finishes involve. Going black means stripping, filling the gouges and voids FAST, sanding, applying sealer, a couple good coats of black lacquer with light sanding between coats, and then a final rub out. Going with a satin sheen is easiest because the finest of imperfections don't reflect the light. It's the easiest and fastest way out of an otherwise very involved process. It may not please everyone but if you aren't making any money then what's the point? I really don't do much finish work, truth be known I think it's a big mess and I try to avoid it whenever I can, but a while back I switched to Pre-catalyzed lacquer, (Mohawk). This turned out to be a fabulous choice. This type of lacquer is much harder then the typical variety which seems to be getting less durable and reliable every year. It possesses all the normal application characteristics of lacquer but behaves more like polyurethane in terms of durability and hardness. You are also much less likely to go through the edges when rubbing. I recommend thinning just a little to extend the workability time during spraying, it dries faster then regular lacquer. This is a good thing though, by the end of the day you can already be rubbing it out for the next coat. I wish I had tried this stuff years ago. It's also available in several different sheens so if you start out with the satin there will be a lot less rubbing involved. When you are finished polish all the brass hardware and coat it with nikolas lacquer and the case will look like a million bucks. Rob Goodale, RPT Las Vegas, NV
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