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For those that use Windex as a wood softener - do you think it is the Ammonia that is what softens the wood? Ammonia darkens some woods - do you notice any color changes after using Windex to soften wood?
I use Ace hardware "janitorial strength" ammonia to clean brasses, which also makes the ammonia dark. I'm wondering how well it might soften wood, and also if bending ammonia soaked oak it could be "fumed" at the same time. (probably want to try that outside )

none
using pure ammonia may be an issue
I just use windex with Ammonia D much less staining that Super Soft 2 easy to find and cheaper.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I've used both SS2 and Windex Ammonia D and frankly I don't think either one of them work better then just water. I just don't get it.

Just wondered how you used the Supersoft? "schedule"?

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I have used both and water
I find windex and ss are better than water but then I bend a lot of wood . Figured wood especially

wood selection is also important
rosewood are pretty forgiving
so perfect your bending technique
I also know that some manufactures use fabric softner
I agree the the helpers are not substitutes for good bending technique

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Spray the boards, wrap them in brown paper, weigh down overnight and bend the next day.

I can share one experience that demonstrated to me that SSII can make wood more bendable. I needed to bend walnut binding and I was in a hurry so I didn't treat the binding with SSII, I just sprayed them with water. I always start with the waist bend because it's the tightest and most likely to fail. I bend my bindings on a hot pipe. The first binding piece snapped almost immediately. So did a second one. It was late morning so I sprayed four pieces with SSII and let them sit for three hours. I tried bending a sprayed piece and it was more cooperative, but I could hear it starting to crack. I tried a second piece and the same thing. So I sprayed two more pieces and let them sit overnight. They bent nicely the next morning. All of the binding pieces were from the same set/purchase and were consistent in color and grain. The difference was whether they were sprayed or not and how long the sprayed pieces were left to soak after spraying.

Because of that experience, I pre-treat bindings and sides by default because why not? It likely helps and it certainly doesn't hurt. I haven't seen SSII have any effect on color or cause staining on bubinga, maple, walnut, ziricote, Indian rosewood, mahogany, koa, bloodwood, cocobolo, or sipo. I haven't tried Windex, but I may at some point.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

When using windex amonia D, do you spray -2ish hours before bending and let dry like with SS2 or something else?

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.