Can I bleach wood?

[Beedster]

Further to my post below

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=32949"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=32949[/url]

I've stripped most of the paint and lacquer from the Tele body, but there is a dark brown stain in the grain that won't shift with either sandpaper or paint stripper (in fact I'm in danger of changing the shape of the bass if I sand any more ). So the question is, can I bleach this stain out? I'm really after a natural finish on this bass as the grain is pretty spectacular, and I'd hate to have to put a solid finish on it just because I couldn't get the stain out, but I can't think of anything else to do.

Help.......

Chris

[ahpook]

there's some advice [url="http://antiquerestorers.com/Articles/jeff/using_wood_bleach.htm"]here[/url]

[Beedster]

[quote name='ahpook' post='342404' date='Dec 1 2008, 09:33 PM']there's some advice [url="http://antiquerestorers.com/Articles/jeff/using_wood_bleach.htm"]here[/url][/quote]

Crikey, swimming pool chlorine on my 35 year old bass
Cheers aphook, much appreciated. Have you used such bleach on a bass before?
Chris

[neepheid]

According to the book I have about these things (Restoring & Finishing Wood by Mick Allen - ISBN 0-7136-7657-4) you can use oxalic acid to try and bleach out stains.

[ahpook]

[quote name='Beedster' post='342417' date='Dec 1 2008, 09:39 PM']Crikey, swimming pool chlorine on my 35 year old bass
Cheers aphook, much appreciated. Have you used such bleach on a bass before?
Chris[/quote]

never, sorry...i was just a-googlin'

you could try some diy research at your local library.

Edited December 1, 2008 by ahpook

[Beedster]

[quote name='ahpook' post='342430' date='Dec 1 2008, 09:52 PM']never, sorry...i was just a-googlin'

you could try some diy research at your local library.[/quote]

I'd have to pay the fines from when I was a kid (plus interest no doubt)!

Isn't swimming pool bleach pretty much dilute Domestos?

[YouMa]

Be careful you need to try test bits first,or you will just get a yellow mark on your bass as the cellulose in the wood fibres mixes with the bleach.So deffo try some experimenting first.

[Hamster]

[quote name='neepheid' post='342429' date='Dec 1 2008, 09:50 PM']According to the book I have about these things (Restoring & Finishing Wood by Mick Allen - ISBN 0-7136-7657-4) you can use oxalic acid to try and bleach out stains.[/quote]

So you could do it by boiling your bass in a vat of rhubarb?

Deffo one for a professional luthiers advice. If doing it at home I'd have a go with hydrogen peroxide which imho would do the least damage to the wood.

[SteveO]

Never used it on a guitar, but for bleaching wood we use [url="http://www.jernia.no/Produkter/Produktvisning?key=78012"]this[/url]. OK, I know what you're thinking, it may be impractical to order from Norway, but maybe B&Q do something similar. it's a 2 part peroxide bleach, and is very good. They use it over here mainly to get rid of sun-ageing of wood (when it goes that pus-yellow colour) and it removes very deep stains without affecting the wood. The before and after picture is [u]not[/u] an exageration. Oh, and it doesn't bleach the wood (make it go white), once it's done it's stuff it just looks like a new bit of freshly sawn wood.


[edit]
hmmm the info in ahpook's link says that peroxide is used to lighten the natural colour of the wood, i.e. to take away the natural colour and turn it white, so either that info's wrong or this stuff is a weak solution.
[/edit]

Edited December 1, 2008 by SteveO

[chrisAngryman]

another product i sell

Liberon wood bleach Draws out any stain or dye in the timber, this is a sh*tty job though and very messy again as said above try it on a area no that visable

www.brewers.co.uk

see where you nearest branch is and they should stock it.

[Beedster]

Thanks very much guys, gonna try Liberon as there's a store right by me
Chris

[MB1]

MB1.
....Can i bleach wood?......
Yes!...but i can imagine it'll make your eyes water!

[Beedster]

[quote name='Beedster' post='343618' date='Dec 2 2008, 10:33 PM']Thanks very much guys, gonna try Liberon as there's a store right by me
Chris[/quote]

And it didn't work.......

[chrisAngryman]

why didn't it work?

is there anything on the surface stopping the bleach from penetrating the wood.

how many applications did you try?

[Beedster]

[quote name='chrisAngryman' post='344888' date='Dec 3 2008, 10:52 PM']why didn't it work?

is there anything on the surface stopping the bleach from penetrating the wood.

how many applications did you try?[/quote]

Hi Chris
Thanks for your reply. I've sanded the surface pretty thoroughly and have applied several coats of bleach. I'm a bit worried that the previous owner has used something pretty powerful to stain the body as nothing is touching it?
Chris

[chrisAngryman]

beedster, i will call liberon tomorrow and try to find out any more information,You may want to try coateing it in the bleach and covering it in cling film to allow the wood to sweat this works on most areas of application.

do you have any pic's?

[MB1]

[quote name='Beedster' post='344914' date='Dec 3 2008, 11:07 PM']Hi Chris
Thanks for your reply. I've sanded the surface pretty thoroughly and have applied several coats of bleach. I'm a bit worried that the previous owner has used something pretty powerful to stain the body as nothing is touching it?
Chris[/quote]

MB1.
May be in need of a good coat of SIMS (The Martin Variety!)

[Beedster]

[quote name='chrisAngryman' post='345741' date='Dec 4 2008, 05:31 PM']beedster, i will call liberon tomorrow and try to find out any more information,You may want to try coateing it in the bleach and covering it in cling film to allow the wood to sweat this works on most areas of application.

do you have any pic's?[/quote]

Hi Chris
Sorry, I've only just seen this post. I applied several coats of bleach and nothing happened, although the bass as a whole is now slightly lighter in shade which, somewhat ironically, only heightens the cointrast between the stained grain and the remainder of the body. However, it doesn't look too bad and as I'm reluctant to apply any more chemicals to a 35 year old lump of wood or to take any more of it off with sandpaper, I'm going to try a bit of Danish oil to see how the bass looks in a natural oiled finish. Many thanks for your help, have no fear I will be asking you more questions very soon
Chris

[Beedster]

[quote name='MB1' post='345837' date='Dec 4 2008, 07:29 PM']MB1.
May be in need of a good coat of SIMS (The Martin Variety!)[/quote]

This one I'm doing myself mate (although it could still happen)