How to touch up chips in SOL painted binding

[Sue Rieter]

I thumped my main mandolin against a desk this morning and chipped the painted on binding. While I'm grateful that it didn't cause a bigger problem, like a side seam issue, I'm wondering if there is any paint out there that can be used to touch-up this and other similar minor dings on the instrument.

[rcc56]

You have three options:

1. Touch it up with some black paint formulated for model work from a hobby shop. This would only be a "cover-up," and how good it looks would depend on your skill with a brush and the quality of the color match.

2. Take it to Mr. Wildwood and have him do a more precision job with lacquer. The repair would be slow and probably expensive, even if he takes mercy upon you as a good customer. The results would be less visible, but still noticeable upon close inspection.

3. Leave it alone and weep that your baby now has scars.

We all put a mark in something sooner or later, no matter how careful we are. I'm afraid it comes with the territory, especially with delicate old finishes.

[sunburst]

Color matching is a rather difficult skill, and for me, at least, it can be hit or miss.
Hobby stores often carry small containers of paint for model makers. A handful of those and some scrap to test on, along with a bit of knowledge of color theory can give you a match... but...
Is the binding paint black? If so, a sharpie marker followed (after drying) a bit of clear nail polish may be just the thing.

If you look on Frank Ford's (RIP) web site Frets.com, you can find the story of the "infamous Steinway piano touch up kit". His name for a sharpie marker.

[rcc56]

I'm afraid that my misses often outnumber my hits. I call a 95% match a bulls-eye. Dead center. I don't get those often.
The older I get, the more I cringe over touch-up work and try to talk myself out of doing it anymore.
But groceries keep going up, and restaurants more so. So I guess I'm not quite done yet.

The sharpie is probably the easiest cover up, if you don't mind the surface remaining bumpy.

[Sue Rieter]

I'm pretty good with a paint brush, but the color is not exactly black. There's a tiny bit of brown to it.
I feel like Jake is a subscriber to "leave it alone and weep ...." school of thought. Though he has been unfailingly good to me, I know he doesn't like finish work.
Looked for the "infamous Steinway touch up", but didn't immediately find it. I might try the sharpie for now. Not ideal, but maybe 80/20 rule.

This mandolin sat unplayed for 40 years or more before I got it, and it has definitely become less pristine but more playable with various modifications and repairs. Maybe that's okay.

[pops1]

You can also use the marker, and wipe it immediately after applying it. It will be less shiny and more dull, let the polish give it the shine. This way you can build up the black also. If it has a brown look, use a brown marker after the black then another black, wiping each right away. Or leave it, I have dings and scars on most of my instruments. As a friend of mine says, "Poo poo happion".

[PapaZark]

I have had good luck with furniture touch-up markers. Think camouflage. Start with brown, then add black as needed. I get the best results applying dots of color, rather than a single swipe. Hopefully this will help.

[sunburst]

http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luth.../steinway.html
The Steinway touchup kit.

[Richard500]

The SOL I’ve had since new just has very thin black paint for a ‘binding’, and I’ve touched it up a few times with whatever black paint - usually enamel was handy. For such a thin area, if you do most of one side, the difference in color will not even be visible. Enamel will go on thicker than lacquer, and this is a wear area. On the recent ca. 1939 SOL, which has black ribs and black back, whatever the paint was originally has taken that brownish cast that you probably have. My guess was oxidation. Touching that up in large areas is tricky, and my first mistake was rattle-can gloss black which didn’t blend well until scuffed up a bit. In bright sunlight you can see the difference, but it’s subtle. To do it right, it’s easy enough to mix paint, but again, for a large area, the smart thing is to do the entire area.
In the automobile world, spot touchups are nearly impossible, because paint ages, and textures are involved, so refinishers will usually insist on doing the whole panel, which is an unwelcome cost to most owners.

[CES]

Consider it a battle scar and keep playing the Hades out of it, Sue! Pick marks and dings happen…you just need to come up with a better story for how the ding happened! Rhino attack while on photo safari, ninjas, etc…

[JEStanek]

I would leave it be. That instrument has now been marked as your own and will carry the tale to whomever gets it after you.

Jamie

[Sue Rieter]

I'm leaning toward leaving it alone.

That said, I was at Hobby Lobby today on a mission to get supplies for another project, and I saw Minwax Wood Finish Stain Marker in ebony, looks pretty dang close.
"For Easy Touch-Ups and Staining".

Anyone tried this?

[sunburst]

I have several commercial touch up markers, not sure if any are Minwax. They are basically felt tip markers with a fancy name and price.

If this was my project, and a Sharpie didn't match closely enough; I keep several colors of light fast drawing inks in the shop so that I can mix and match for color touch-up. That can also be done with markers. I think someone in this thread has already mentioned using dots of different colors, layers of different colors and such to achieve a better match. If the "ebony" marker matches, great. if it is close but not exact, try using different colors in layers or dots or whatever. I would also dab some lacquer on the repair after getting the best match I could. That is why I suggested clear fingernail polish. It is readily available clear lacquer in small containers.

[Sue Rieter]

Since I was out and about, I looked at the little bottles of model paint at Hobby Lobby and the sharpies at HL and the adjacent Staples. The color selection was pathetic. The space in the display for black was empty, and the only brown was very light. Maybe I'd have to go to a "real" model store, if there is any such thing any more. In person retail these days seems pretty limited, and you sure can't tell much about color on a monitor.

I'll try the minwax pen and maybe mix with black sharpie on some scraps. I like the nail polish idea. If it works, cool. If not, c'est la vie.

Thanks folks. I'll report back if I have success.