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I've used KTM-9 for the first time, I let it cure for 2 1/2 weeks now, buffed it, and found that very light touching with fingernails or edge of tool for glue cleanup around bridge left indentations/drag-marks. This stuff seems really soft to me, yet I've heard that it dries really hard, should I expect this, does it continually harden?

Thanks,
Greg

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Gwaltney Guitars

Greg,

KTM9 takes a while to completely harden. It will depend on thickness of application, humidity, and temprature. I like to give it a month if I can and I am not sure that it is a hard as it can get even then.

Cecil

The reason why a number of folks have quit using KTM-9 is because of this very thing. A lot of the guys who are full-time builders who used it found they couldn't get it to cure hard enough in fast enough of a time. And it didn't offer a better looking finish than nitro or other things. A lot of folks have gone over to UV cure finishes or other products that, while are more difficult to use, offer better hardness and more fool-proof application.
I've made the switch to farming out my finishes for nitro. I have a local guy who does a very nice job, so I really have no need of spraying anything myself. Not that I'm building anything anymore, since I'm retired from it.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Greg,
I tried KTM9 and was not happy with it either. I sanded it off.
I've done my last 2 guitars with another waterborne finish, CrystaLac available from www.mcfeelys.com. I have only used the satin and I am really impressed with it It seems much more like semi-gloss to me. The super premium is made for musical instruments.
To get a nice amber color, I put on a coat of shellac sanding sealer. Then I brush on the fist 5 coats, sand level and then spray 3 or 4 more coats.
I'll be ordering the gloss and semi-gloss soon. www.mcfeelys.com

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

"Bodies have not been too bad but the necks seem to load up with debris
from hot sweaty hands and get gummy"

Would you recomend using two finishes? One for the neck and KTM for the body?

I also noticed that Kathy M. is using Target Coatings on her latest project. Anybody else have any experience with this or the gloss Crystalac?vpelleri38935.4968634259

Thanks Steve, I may try this product. Anybody have any thoughts on "rockhard varnish" I forget who makes it, just wondering if there is anything out there that dries hard, is durable, and can be applied by brush.

Greg

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Gwaltney Guitars

I have yet to use KTM9 but I have used KTM4. I've also found that it seems to harden well on the body but not the neck. After about a year the necks seem ok. I was wondering if it was me?

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

[QUOTE=SteveS] Greg,
I'll be ordering the gloss and semi-gloss soon. www.mcfeelys.com[/QUOTE]

Love to hear what you think of the gloss.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

[QUOTE=GregG] Thanks Steve, I may try this product. Anybody have any thoughts on "rockhard varnish" I forget who makes it, just wondering if there is anything out there that dries hard, is durable, and can be applied by brush.

Greg[/QUOTE] Greg,
I have used Behlen Rockhard. It is nice and indeed hard. I tried spraying, wiping and brushing. Spraying worked the best. I work in my garage and I have lots of dust. This varnish takes so long to dry and is a magnet for airborne particles. I had to find something else.
It does not burn into the previous coat, you have to be very good to avoid sanding through the top layer. I'm not that good. If I every get a spray both, I will try it again - I liked it.

You can find Rockhard here-
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=751

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

I've been using Behlen's Rockhard for the last year or so and I like it as a finish on the guitar but it is somewhat of a pain to get it on. As Steve said you need a fairly dust free environment as it takes a couple hours to dry dust free. And it does produce witness lines if you sand thru coats. Adding a capfull of Acetone will help it burn in and reduces frustration with witness lines.
It sands very easy andquickly so one must exersize restraint when sanding as it is easy to sand thru. Likewise while buffing use low pressure and let the well loaded wheel do the work and stay off the edges with the wheel doing them by hand during the cleanup. Sand well and fine before the final coat to ease leveling of the final coat.
I really like the way this finish looks on the guitar. It is not a clear finsh as it has an amber tint but it looks so warm that it is a pleasure to see.John How38935.6095601852

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Steve,

Have you found the CrystalLac to be a harder finish, less dent prone than KTM-9?

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Gwaltney Guitars

John, How hard does the "rock hard" dry comparatively speaking?

Greg

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Gwaltney Guitars

I used the KTM-9 on my guitars but don't know how it holds up on a neck since I finish mine with gunstock oil...
Maybe next time i'll try the Crystallac for the body.

Steve, how well does it level sand? is it forgiving?

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

[QUOTE=GregG] John, How hard does the "rock hard" dry comparatively speaking?
Greg[/QUOTE]

I'd compare it favorably to the hardness of Nitro.John How38935.670775463

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

[QUOTE=GregG] Steve,

Have you found the CrystalLac to be a harder finish, less dent prone than KTM-9?[/QUOTE]
I'm sorry that I can't really answer that. I am happy with it's hardness. I didn't leave the KTM9 on long enough to see how soft it was. I love using the satin because it is so easy to repair. It looks nice too.


[QUOTE=peterm] I used the KTM-9 on my guitars but don't know how it holds up on a neck since I finish mine with gunstock oil...
Maybe next time i'll try the Crystallac for the body.

Steve, how well does it level sand? is it forgiving?[/QUOTE]
It sands great - very forgiving of runs and brush marks. (Not that I had any of those. )

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

I've been really happy with my KTM-9 on the back and sides of my 1st guitar, but went with a French Polish on the Neck and Top. Very happy with the Combination. I really love how the french polish plays on the neck.
-j.j.Brown38935.9254166667

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“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

Saw a classical builder's steel string at Newport that had Behlin's Rockhard on it. It really was a gorgeous finish. The guitar sounded great too.

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"I want to know what kind of pickups Vince Gill uses in his Tele, because if I had those, as good of a player as I am, I'm sure I could make it sound like that.
Only badly."

Did you take any pics while at Newport Don?

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.