Cornwall wood finish

[KGK1958]

Hi all! I own a lovely pair of laquered walnut Cornwalls, circa 1977, and am soliciting advice as to the best way to care for the wood finish. They are in a dry basement HT, no exposure to direct sun. I have been using lemon oil, but not sure if there's something better. Thanks, all!

Kevin

System:

Klipsch & McIntosh...a match made in heaven.

[HDBRbuilder]

Welcome to the BB! Do NOT use oil on a Laquered finish! It will degrade the laquer! Oil is for oiled finishes, ONLY! Lemon oil is even worse for a laquered finish, because it has citric acid in it...and that acid will degrade the laquer even faster!

Lemon oil is great for OCCASSIONAL use on older oiled finishes, though, since the citric acid in it will clean off some of the grunge that has built up on the oiled finish over the years...as you apply it...but even then, it should be used only sparingly and not everytime you decide to refresh the oil of an oiled finish...because it will eventually "clean it too much!"

When you have a laquered finish, you really don't need to use anything unless you decide to give it a LIGHT waxing...and the wax needs to be something like a gunstock wax. Look at the directions for the particular wax you intend to use. Note whether it is for a laquered furniture finish(some are NOT). Follow them closely. Furniture laquer became popular because people wanted that "oiled look" without the hassle of having to oil the wood. It was less maintenance- intensive than an oiled finish...so it became popular because of that.

BUT....furniture laquer has its drawbacks, too! Over time it tends to "yellow"...and in time it will eventually "alligator"...meaning it tends to start to crack in a pattern like an alligator skin. This "alligatoring process" is hurried along by using oil on the laquer...hint, hint! But by using a good wax designed to be applied over a laquered finish(such as a gunstock wax), the "alligatoring effect" will take alot longer to happen.

Look at it this way...when you let water stand on a laquered finish, it discolors and will eventually allow some of the water through it, then the water will cause the wood to swell under the laquer and the laquer will crack and flake off....this happens when ANY liquid is applied to laquer...including furniture oils!

You don't use oil on your car's painted finish, do you? Laquer is paint! So...you use wax...pretty simple, huh?

Wax gives a more water-proof coating to the laquer, and won't cause any damage...and may even delay any damage if/when a spill on the laquer occurs...it also makes the laquer shine when you buff it!!

Hope this helps you to maintain those Cornwalls for a long time to come...so that they will continue to look as great as they sound!!

[Dale W]

KEVIN: Welcome to the forum. I'm a automotive refinisher and have restored more than 30 pairs of speakers. When you use a single or catalizer laquer your basicly sealing the wood grain from exposure.Cleaning is all that is needed not waxing. Laquers come in different gloss levels, like flat-semi gloss and gloss some use a number system for the sheen level.There is no benifit to using anything over this finish.If the wood was raw then tung oil or a similar product would keep the wood oiled and prevent cracking or raising of the grain.One thing about laquer is direct sunlight may in time wear out the UV inhibitors in the laquer and cause the surface to aquire small hair line cracks. This is because the wood and laquer are expanding and contracting at different rates.Fine micro lines may appear from cleaning and rubbing the finish over the years and may be removed or hidden with a fine furniture paste wax . but if your finish is flat the wax may put a little more gloss on.