Violin Forum/Message Board

emviolins · Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 5:59 pm Post subject: "graining"

When is "graining" considered an appropriate technique under "do the least amount of harm" code?

DonLeister · Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:04 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure what you mean by graining, can you explain a little?

emviolins · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 9:28 am Post subject:

As I was taught, when you have a crack that runs across the grain, you take a small v gouge and take out a sliver between the hard grains going across the crack. Taking the same gouge, take a sliver out of like wood glue in its place, repeat as necessary.

DonLeister · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 9:49 am Post subject:

It seems counter intuitive to 'splice' the soft part of the wood, since the 'reed' or grain is the strongest part of the wood, and that is the part that really needs reinforcing.
I'm not sure that 'graining' would add much strength.

The value of the instrument would determine what should be done, a good shop should be able to help.

Is this a particular instrument, can you post pictures?

emviolins · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 11:55 am Post subject:

It is not really a strength repair but a cosmetic repair. I have done it on some trade instruments but never on upper range instruments. It is done to help hide sideways cracks or breaks. Done properly even before retouch the crack is usually barely noticeable. I learned of this technique at UNH, but didn't get the chance to discuss it further with the instructor.

DonLeister · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 1:20 pm Post subject:

I'm not familiar with this kind of repair, I'd like to see it done. Maybe the more experienced can offer some advice here.

Michael Darnton · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 8:55 pm Post subject:

It's one of those things that gets done only in the very most desperate circumstances. Better to get the crack closed somehow and do a dynamite retouch than put in a piece of wood that doesn't quite reflect right, have taken out old wood, put in new where it doesn't belong, and have to do a bigger, even more dynamite retouch to cover what you shouldn't have done.

You'd be surprised what you can get closed when you set your heart to it.

It's a common repair on guitars, because they can't mess with their margins, tops don't come off nicely, and cross braces prevent open cracks from being evenly closed. They even have a tool for the job: http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Knives/PowerKnife.html I've seen this repair done a few times on guitars, and it's never been less than totally visible, though I think it COULD be done well. Guitar "repair" is usually pretty rudimentary. Notice that the pitch for the tool has a tab to show you how it works. Also notice that they stop at the point while it's bare wood, saying "all" you have to do is touch it up. When you put that first coat of varnish on top and see it in all its glory, that's when you start crying. Up to then it looks pretty good.

emviolins · Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:38 am Post subject:

Thanks, Michael. I have done it a few times and it turned out quite nice, but the retouch was a lot of extra work. I wanted to put it in perspective as a technique. You did just that. Thanks again.

Michael Darnton · Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 11:55 am Post subject:

I once watched the restoration, over the period of a year or two, of a very well-known violin that had some huge, open cracks, top and back, that had been repaired poorly in the past, with the open cracks filled with crud. Some people probably would have spliced in new wood, but the instrument was too valuable for that. The restorer devised some clever clamping to get everything closed pretty well, and then finished with the most impressive retouch I've ever seen. Six months later, he came back and removed half the retouch because the repairs weren't becoming visible as he'd feared they might.

To this day, 20 years later, I still have trouble finding the worst cracks, and I know right where they are. Most of the others are completely gone. The important point is that he did this without removing a bit of original wood. I know that some people who read this forum have handled this violin and probably don't realize what they're not seeing.

On the other hand, I have seen many repairs where someone has cleverly spiced in wood that probably looked good at the time. In the intervening decades the new and old woods moved relative to each other, and what you see now isn't pretty at all. . . and it can't be undone.

emviolins · Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 1:16 pm Post subject:

Goes back to doing the least amount of harm. I had never done this technique on anything valuable. Don't think I will be using it anymore.
Thanks again.