Varnish

It was with a heavy heart that, due to health reasons, I was forced to retire from actively making new instruments. I still work with Borman owners to keep their instruments in top condition.

I made my varnish from Venetian turpentine reduced to a solid consistency and then re-liquefied using various oils. Assorted resins were then added to achieve the luster that is necessary to give the patina of age to my instruments. I applied a very thin layer of this varnish, working this layer to achieve the desired result. This was the only full brushed on layer as the rest of the varnish was applied with a 1mm. brush which allowed me to highlight the character of the underlying wood rather than cover it.

The majority of my instruments were finished to give the soft, warm, look and feel of an instrument that is 100 years old but in museum quality condition. Please see the photographs in our gallery for a better idea of the look of my instruments. The image below is of one of my instruments after 22 years of use. Desktop users can click to enlarge, smartphone users use zoom.