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I also use guitar creams, D'Addario brand, which are divided into three "steps": 1) an abrasive + polishing cream to be used occasionally 2) a polishing only cream for intense polishing but without abrasive effect 3) a cleaning + mildly polishing cream for everyday use when the guitar is put away.

These creams are unbelievably effective and, in particular, the "step 1" can literally do miracles on scratches. I completely removed very deep scratches - that I never thought would go away - in a breeze, literally. Words can hardly express how enthusiastic I am about them.

However, these creams are intended for thick polyurethane/nitrocellulose coatings. As the creams are white in colour, they tend to creep visibly into any crack of the coating and are hardly removed from thin hairline cracks. As shellack lacquer finishes tend to leave the natural grain and pores of the wood more or less exposed, I suggest that these creams are first tested in a small (possibly hidden) area. I also ignore if they would react with shellac in some way; I tend to believe that they're quite safe, but again I would recommend testing them first in a hidden area.

HMVDevotee wrote: Sun Jul 02, 2023 6:02 pm For what it's worth, I "preserve" old finishes with a hard colored furniture wax applied with the grain with 5 "0" steel wool, rubbing a pad of the wool in the wax to pick up just enough wax to work about a square foot of area at a time. This technique fills and dyes scratches and also colors areas where the finish has faded due to loss of original finish or even mild sun bleaching.

For years I have used the famed and now obsolete Kiwi Bois furniture wax that sets up pretty hard in minutes and polish it with terry-cloth towels, again with the grain of the wood. I let it wait minutes then buff it out. Let it sit for 30 minutes and you might as well use a chisel to remove the dried layer on top. I've always used a color far darker than the original finish.

I saw on the internet a couple of years ago a fellow on this side of the pond who had formulated a colored wax he claimed was as close to the venerable Kiwi product as you could get. If you have interest, send me a pm and I will search for his link to his online store.

Best,
HMVDevotee

Very interesting. Thank you HMVDevotee.

Lah Ca wrote: Mon Jul 03, 2023 10:46 am I am fond of Gibson guitar polish:

https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Product/AIGG-910/AIGG-910

I have used it for years on guitars. It is safe for old nitro and varnish finishes. It is safe for modern poly and (cheap) water-based lacquer finishes. I have expanded its use to furniture and pianos as well. It works well on tung oil finishes. It is OK for shellac, too, I think, but I have only ever used it on one shellac finished satin walnut bowl, something I made in junior high school.

I used it on my Aeolian Vocalian tallboy pagoda-top machine when I first got it. The cabinet was very grubby. The guitar polish worked extremely well at lifting grime without lifting finish or stain.

I have a stock of Trewax paste palm wax, which I use on my 1950s oak floors. It is also suitable for furniture.

I also used this on my AV machine, and it brought the cabinet back to a good facsimile of Aeolian's advertised "piano gloss fisnish."

https://www.beaumontproducts.com/Trewax/

Interesting products.

Thanks Lah-Ca for your advice.

Marco Gilardetti wrote: Tue Jul 04, 2023 3:47 am I also use guitar creams, D'Addario brand, which are divided into three "steps": 1) an abrasive + polishing cream to be used occasionally 2) a polishing only cream for intense polishing but without abrasive effect 3) a cleaning + mildly polishing cream for everyday use when the guitar is put away.

These creams are unbelievably effective and, in particular, the "step 1" can literally do miracles on scratches. I completely removed very deep scratches - that I never thought would go away - in a breeze, literally. Words can hardly express how enthusiastic I am about them.

However, these creams are intended for thick polyurethane coatings. As the creams are white in colour, they tend to creep visibly into any crack of the coating and are hardly removed from thin hairline cracks. As shellack lacquer finishes tend to leave the natural grain and pores of the wood more or less exposed, I suggest that these creams are first tested in a small (possibly hidden) area. I also ignore if they would react with shellac in some way; I tend to believe that they're quite safe, but again I would recommend testing them first in a hidden area.

Guitar cream seems popular. Interesting advice about testing first.

Thank you Marco Gilardetti.