Help! Fixing A Divot.

[spikesstickies]

I own a Elrick 4 string new jazz standard. And while shaking my polish can, it accidently ate into the side of my bass, and now theres a small divot there. Is there anyway to repair it. I heard of a technique where you can 'steam' it out with a damp rag and a soldering iron, if so does anyone know? Help please!

Cheers, Spike

[Ole Man Blues]

You've taken the 1st step in getting your Bass to it's RELIC stage..............

OMB

[spikesstickies]

Hmmm not exactly, I like my basses in a well maintained state, argh so mad at myself for being so careless...

[pkr2]

Originally Posted by spikesstickies

I own a Elrick 4 string new jazz standard. And while shaking my polish can, it accidently ate into the side of my bass, and now theres a small divot there. Is there anyway to repair it. I heard of a technique where you can 'steam' it out with a damp rag and a soldering iron, if so does anyone know? Help please!

Cheers, Spike

Can you post a pix that shows how much of a ding you've put in it? If you can't, give a couple or 3 details such as is the finish broken through? How deep? natural or colored finish? Kind of finish? Kind of wood?

Sometimes, if it's not too bad , you can steam it out or at least make it better.

[spikesstickies]

Originally Posted by pkr2

Can you post a pix that shows how much of a ding you've put in it? If you can't, give a couple or 3 details such as is the finish broken through? How deep? natural or colored finish? Kind of finish? Kind of wood?

Sometimes, if it's not too bad , you can steam it out or at least make it better.

Its almost unfinished, slightly satin with a swampash body, the ding isn't exactly that big, I would say the thickness of a quarter? With a depth of about 4-5mm?

[pkr2]

Originally Posted by spikesstickies

Its almost unfinished, slightly satin with a swampash body, the ding isn't exactly that big, I would say the thickness of a quarter? With a depth of about 4-5mm?

You are lucky, then. Chances are that, unless the wood is sealed so well that the moisture can't penetrate to the wood itself that you can help the prob with steam.

A soldering iron can certainly be used but for someone who's never tried it before, I think a laundry iron may be a little safer.

Just wet two or three thickness of cloth, put the cloth over the ding and apply the irons pointy end to the cloth. Don't leave it on long enough to dry the cloth out. The temp on the iron will be close enough if the iron slightly sizzles when it touches the cloth. Have a piece of saran wrap ready to cover the dent just as soon as you lift the wet cloth. This will help keep it from drying too quickly. A folded dry washcloth over the Saran wrap will help to hold the heat in and may make it go a little quicker.

Don't expect to see instant results because it can take some time for the moisture to actually swell the woods fibers.

If the finish is hazy when you finish, don't panic because it will clear up as the finish cools and dries.

You may have to repeat the steam application a few times to get max results.

If you don't get any results, the wood is probably sealed and carefully sticking the point of a safety pin into the dent just enough to pierce the finish to allow some penetration. The steam will close the tiny punctures up and it shouldn't be visible when everything stabilizes.

This works pretty well most of the time. let us know how it turns out.

Good luck.

[spikesstickies]

Did it! Fixed it up, steamed it out first with the wet rag and soldering iron, works pretty well actually, but not entirely, it got the ding to rise up significantly but after all that there was still like cracks on the sides of the risen wood, so i had to go get some wood filler, and well it pretty much did the trick, and now it looks a lot better, with the exception of the slight discolouration for the sanded areas, put some carnauba wax over the wound and it was looking alright again, thanks a bunch for helping, gotta be a lot more careful next time!

[pkr2]

Originally Posted by spikesstickies

Did it! Fixed it up, steamed it out first with the wet rag and soldering iron, works pretty well actually, but not entirely, it got the ding to rise up significantly but after all that there was still like cracks on the sides of the risen wood, so i had to go get some wood filler, and well it pretty much did the trick, and now it looks a lot better, with the exception of the slight discolouration for the sanded areas, put some carnauba wax over the wound and it was looking alright again, thanks a bunch for helping, gotta be a lot more careful next time!

Y.W.