001 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) i just bought a pair of forte2 speakers in oiled walnut & had a few questions on improving their finish. mainly, which of these 2 products do you guys prefer & why? i've done quite a bit of work on refinishing clear or poly coated woods & had great results but never worked on oiled finishes & just want to be sure i dont mess them up. the veneer is in great shape overall, no water rings or damage, but one speaker obviously sat in the sun & the top has faded quite a bit & has very light raised grain in some areas. my question is do i sand the surface with a fine grit paper then apply the oil/restorer of choice? or is it better to use 0000 steel wool or something else. howards restorer instructions say to use steel wool while rubbing in the product for raised grains or to blend out rings & stains. & if i go with the howards restorer what shade best matches the klipsch oiled walnut? they have a walnut & a dark walnut. i assume the standard walnut is best as the finsih isnt very dark on all the OW klipsch i have seen. just dont want to go too dark & not be able to go lighter without more work. can always apply 2 or 3 coats if i want it darker. also on the surface of one speaker are some "spots" where it looks like the stain dribbled some when applied. prev owner was the original owner & said they were like that from day one & the retailer said they see that direct from klipsch sometimes. can these spots be sanded out then re-oiled & look good? thanks in advance going to post this in the technical section, i realize this isnt really a "2ch home audio" topic. Edited February 18, 2015 by klipschfancf4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzydog Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 (edited) I have no experience with Watco, but I once attempted to use Howards restor-a-finish on a solid wood coffee table to get rid of white condensation rings and it had no effect. I did not however attempt to use steel wool as some reviews recommended. Great speakers BTW. I'd love to find a pair just like them some day. Edited February 17, 2015 by FuzzyDog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
001 Posted February 17, 2015 Author Share Posted February 17, 2015 thanks for the reply. howards does specifically say to use steel wool for rings or stains/marks. you might want to try it again & see if that helps on your table. yes the fortes are nice speakers, i have the original fortes & the 2's now. originals are in perfect shape but as you can see in the pics the 2's have a sun faded top on one & the spots on the other. will probably go with the howards as its intended more for "restoring" the surface & has some stain in it. just looking for others opinions that have used it or done restoration work to oiled veneers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjimbo Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 I am not an expert woodworker or restorer, but I have experience with both products. IMHO, I would not sand the surface prior to using Howard's. You should definitely clean the surface, then use the steel wool method, light to medium pressure. I usually try to apply the Howard's as evenly as possible, let it sit for a couple of minutes, then wipe dry. I would let it dry overnight, then apply Howard's Feed N Wax. I also let that sit for 20-30 minutes, then wipe off. I have never been disappointed with the Howard's products, and I have used them on at least 4 pairs of Klipsch Heritage. I would start with the standard walnut "color" first. Please post pics when you are done. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean5340 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 On my JBLs I sanded them with 220, 320 then 600 grit. Use a block of wood and be sure to stay on plane around the edges. I then treated them with Luquid Gold. The results are nice. I also had one side lighter than the others. They are all the same now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean5340 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 A couple of pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprinter1104 Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 My Klipschorns get a coat of Watco once a year. Just wipe on a thin coat, let it sit for 10 minutes then give a light buff with a soft cotton cloth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Is lemon oil bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted February 17, 2015 Share Posted February 17, 2015 Is lemon oil bad? Most lemon oil is mostly mineral oil and other distillates, with a tiny amount of lemon oil tossed in for the smell. I redid my JBL 4311s with BLO, about 1 part BLO to 3 parts mineral spirits. I did two or three coats. The thinned BLO penetrates the veneer better. My La Scalas had a lacquer finish. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
001 Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 (edited) thanks for the info & pics. they are very clean as is but i will do a clean before applying anything or using abrasives. any suggestions on what to clean with? the rasied grain is VERY light, just a few areas that you just barely feel when running your hand over the tops, sides & edges are nice & smooth & not discolored, just dry. its only the top. seems like a light sand with fine papaer would take care of it in quick order & be ready to apply the restorer. any suggestions on the spots i show? looks like the guy applying the stain/oil at klipsch dribbled a few drops & it passed inspection. whats the best way to lighten up just the spots & be able to blend with teh rest of the top? maybe rub just the spots with steel wool then apply a heavy coat of the howards restorer (or even actual stain) untill the color blends in. Edited February 18, 2015 by klipschfancf4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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