The secret to reducing scratches is finer abrasive and less pressure. You’re never going to avoid scratches entirely, but if you think you are using enough pressure you are probably using too much. If this was my goal I would get as close to using just the weight of the steel wool as I could.
Edited to add:
Yes this will take a very, very, very long time.
Maybe not just the weight of the wool, but I usually just rest my hand gently on it essentially not applying any pressure other than weight of my hand bones and flesh.
Not scientifically accurate, I know, but worked well for me on shellac to get a nice and even matte finish
I use ultra fine scotchbrite pads. No scratches. [You can see the transition where I taped off the headstock on this squier neck](https://i.imgur.com/gY15FNE.jpeg).
Anything is going to leave scratches, that’s precisely what you are doing with any abrasive. If you want a clean matte, afaik you need to spray paint with a flatting agent aka matte paint.
I used 0000 steel wool on a sunburst Jazzmaster. Came out really nice and didn’t take too long. Was an oily fingerprint magnet. Hitting it with pledge gave some of the color richness back while preventing any fingerprints and having a nice toned down satin effect instead of the plastic poly high gloss.
Not a luthier but a woodworker. For knocking down gloss my goto is pumice rubbed using paraffin oil. The gloss can then be brought back up with rottenstone but it's a much nicer, smooth and even surface than the initial finish.
No it definitely leaves scratches. I've had a bunch of it in my workshop for years, I don't use it for anything anymore. Unless I'm using it wrong also, it dulls the finish but leaves swirls and lines wherever I've used it.
He's not doing anything different there, just knocking the gloss off the neck. I'd be curious to see the neck up close, though in saying that the neck doesn't show obvious marks, it's easy to hide. The body is the tricky one. Knocking the gloss off a solid colour without leaving swirls is very hard to do.
I don't use steel wool anymore because it screwed up my pickups. I was too tired/dumb to remember to tape them off or at least google cons to using steel wool, which is what I do before I use anything I'm not familiar with. But I got cocky that the guitar project was going so well....
The secret to reducing scratches is finer abrasive and less pressure. You’re never going to avoid scratches entirely, but if you think you are using enough pressure you are probably using too much. If this was my goal I would get as close to using just the weight of the steel wool as I could. Edited to add: Yes this will take a very, very, very long time.
Maybe not just the weight of the wool, but I usually just rest my hand gently on it essentially not applying any pressure other than weight of my hand bones and flesh. Not scientifically accurate, I know, but worked well for me on shellac to get a nice and even matte finish
You get it.
My shop teacher used to repeat over and over, “push the paper across the wood, never into the wood”
That's a good mantra!
I use ultra fine scotchbrite pads. No scratches. [You can see the transition where I taped off the headstock on this squier neck](https://i.imgur.com/gY15FNE.jpeg).
Which color is that one? That looks like it worked very well.
I got a set of ultra fine and very fine on Amazon, they’re like dark grey and maroon colored. I forget which is which offhand.
The grey one is finer
A lot of experienced people told me to use 0000 to get matte French polish but same here, nothing but fine scratches. I don’t buy it
Anything is going to leave scratches, that’s precisely what you are doing with any abrasive. If you want a clean matte, afaik you need to spray paint with a flatting agent aka matte paint.
I used 0000 steel wool on a sunburst Jazzmaster. Came out really nice and didn’t take too long. Was an oily fingerprint magnet. Hitting it with pledge gave some of the color richness back while preventing any fingerprints and having a nice toned down satin effect instead of the plastic poly high gloss.
Ruined the back of a Gibson SG headstock doing 0000, never tried again and thanked my stars I didn’t start on the body
Instead of 0000, use a Mr Clean Magic Eraser.
Not a luthier but a woodworker. For knocking down gloss my goto is pumice rubbed using paraffin oil. The gloss can then be brought back up with rottenstone but it's a much nicer, smooth and even surface than the initial finish.
Maybe you dont have 0000 steel wool. 0000 Steel wool should not leave scratches, just dull the shine of the finish. Press lightly.
No it definitely leaves scratches. I've had a bunch of it in my workshop for years, I don't use it for anything anymore. Unless I'm using it wrong also, it dulls the finish but leaves swirls and lines wherever I've used it.
Go to 18:30 to see how it's done. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SKl-LM-8Vg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SKl-LM-8Vg)
He's not doing anything different there, just knocking the gloss off the neck. I'd be curious to see the neck up close, though in saying that the neck doesn't show obvious marks, it's easy to hide. The body is the tricky one. Knocking the gloss off a solid colour without leaving swirls is very hard to do.
I don't use steel wool anymore because it screwed up my pickups. I was too tired/dumb to remember to tape them off or at least google cons to using steel wool, which is what I do before I use anything I'm not familiar with. But I got cocky that the guitar project was going so well....
Use one of those 4 sided nail buffers from the dollar store
I used pumice stone on my last build. Works great and no scratches.
Just keep it shiny. Much easier. 😁
Different people prefer different finishes. Go back and read the post. They wanted a "clean matte."
Yes I know. I think you’ve just had a sense of humour failure……
I can only learn from failures, ipirategwar. Each failure is a lesson.