I scratched my La Scala IIs and I’m sick about it

[JFHSQT]

While rearranging my media cabinet the other day, I stupidly sat an old DVD player on top of my walnut La Scala II, which is maybe 3 months old at this point. I had to roll the cabinet out and when I did the TV corner caught the edge of the DVD player and dragged it across the top of the speaker maybe 3 inches. Didn’t think anything about it until I went to remove the DVD player and saw 3 giant scratches across the top of the veneer from the DVD player feet. Tried to buff out with cloth, used furniture polish, no use... the scratches are still there and very visible and it makes me physically ill 3 days later thinking about it. 

 

Is there anything I can do? I sure do not want to sand these things... is there some kind of oil that can be rubbed on to smooth out the veneer or anything like that?

[Schu]

Is it just a finish marring or is there surface gouging?

[Coytee]

That is sickening....those are beautiful speakers.

 

I have no idea on how to help other than say after decades of ownership, I've got a number of life's nicks & scratches on mine.

 

Today, they don't bother me so much but when it first happened (1979) I was sick....so I can relate.

 

Good luck with fixing it.

 

 

[Emile]

Picture please (and indicate finish ... walnut oiled or??) ... many ways to fix minor scratches. Have cleaned up many Heritage speakers    

[MEH Synergy]

Good luck brotha.   Awful to hear and believe me I know the feeling and have done it myself. 

[Guest wdecho]

There is really not much one can do these days with the veneer being so thin. By doing any sanding and you will most likely sand through making it look much worse. Someone with some woodworking skills might be able to put in what is called a dutch-man patch with some matching veneer or veneer the whole top after removing the damaged veneer. If you decide to try and sand it out you should expect to have to replace the veneer and hope you get lucky and it will sand out. 

[rplace]

I'd guess at best you can make it look less horrible. Bummer man, I feel you pain. Sorry.

 

[Shiva]

I had some small scratches and dings on a pair of cherry wood speakers and used something akin to these markers.  They did pretty good job of matching the wood and masking them from the eye.  Might be worth a look.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rejuvenate-Wood-Furniture-and-Floor-Repair-Markers-RJ6WM/202676224

  

[JFHSQT]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think they’re pretty deep scratches, at least they wouldn’t buff out with a cloth.

 

The image is too large for me to upload from mobile (2MB limit?) & I don’t have my laptop at home but maybe this link will work:

 

https://imgur.com/gallery/mt6Og1m

 

 

[Emile]

Jeez ... no problem ... a very light sanding with Danish Oil ... sanding WITH the oil will fill in the scratches   Good luck  

[jason str]

If its an oil finish just fine sand the top of the cabinet. If its deep don't try to sand out the scratch, likely you will just sand through the veneer. Just apply some fresh oil when sanding and cleanup is done , its not going to be perfect if you cannot sand out the entire scratch but it should look better.

[wvu80]

I just saw your picture.  Those are scratches, not gouges.  I think they will come out.

 

First of all, you CAN sand the speakers and not do major damage.  Light pressure hand sanding (not with a block) will greatly reduced those scratches.  Wet sanding using Danish oil as @Emile suggested might do a good job.  I have done some minor restoration on deep gouges but I refinished the entire cab. 

 

Before you take my word for anything I suggest you consult a real wood working guy with more knowledge and experience.  If you are not comfortable doing the work yourself someone local might be willing to work on them.

[USNRET]

I feel ya bro. I about had heart failure when the first and only scratch happened to one of my Belles. They were Rosewood and some oil helped but didn't cure the heart ache. 

[Schu]

[314carpenter]

Soft color match wax fill is a possibility, but requires a lot of experience, special tools, and is best saved for a professional. The most common method used is sanding. As you light sand you will create sawdust. Save the sawdust, no matter how little there is. Make a perfect color match wood putty by adding a very small amount of Titebond II wood glue to the sawdust you saved. Push this into the scratches with a nylon scraper. Save any extra remaining sawdust. Wait one hour and gently clean off the excess filler with the scraper. Allow a day to dry and sand again. Repeat if necessary. 120 grit, 180 grit, finish with 240 grit. Use a block, not your hand, don't dig in one area, evenly sand across the entire surface always with the grain. Use the weight of you hand to hold down the block and paper, but do not push down while you sand. Stay off the edges and corners except the last strokes of each stage. Complete your repair by using your favorite oil, you should be oiling annually anyway. If you have a lacquer finish apply a new lacquer coat to complete, omitting the oil of course.

[MEH Synergy]

Wow very detailed. I'm impressed.   Hope you can get them to be acceptable to you again man; especially on a fairly new pair of speakers.... 

[babadono]

#1 are they oil finish or lacquer?

[pzannucci]

Looks to be oil.

If you follow 314carpenter's titebond usage, be careful as it looks like the grain is pretty open on that wood.  You will need to get the tightbond out of the grain around the scratches to not fill them in (unfortunately water based so be careful).

[Guest wdecho]

7 hours ago, 314carpenter said:

Soft color match wax fill is a possibility, but requires a lot of experience, special tools, and is best saved for a professional. The most common method used is sanding. As you light sand you will create sawdust. Save the sawdust, no matter how little there is. Make a perfect color match wood putty by adding a very small amount of Titebond II wood glue to the sawdust you saved. Push this into the scratches with a nylon scraper. Save any extra remaining sawdust. Wait one hour and gently clean off the excess filler with the scraper. Allow a day to dry and sand again. Repeat if necessary. 120 grit, 180 grit, finish with 240 grit. Use a block, not your hand, don't dig in one area, evenly sand across the entire surface always with the grain. Use the weight of you hand to hold down the block and paper, but do not push down while you sand. Stay off the edges and corners except the last strokes of each stage. Complete your repair by using your favorite oil, you should be oiling annually anyway. If you have a lacquer finish apply a new lacquer coat to complete, omitting the oil of course.

Best advice I have seen here from someone that appears to have experience doing such repairs. Being an amateur woodworker I use the same glue and sawdust technique to fill in imperfections instead of wood putty. Close inspection with a loupe or magnifying glass will better determine if the scratches has broken through the veneer. From picture it does not appear they have. I also agree with block sanding instead of hand having done custom automotive work. Hand sanding without a block will make an uneven, not flat, surface. Personally, being sick about what happened, I would probably just use one of the cover up sticks and something like a dolly to cover it up. It all depends on how particular you are and the amount of work or expense you are willing to take to restore the appearance. Best advice if you cannot live with them like that is take it to a reputable professional. Those scratches do not appear to be deep but are much longer than I imagined. Tough mistake that I know makes you sick. 

[juniper]

if you dont want to sand them with oil, take a walnut and rub it on the scratches. it works well