refinishing wood on sao (neck)

Building/Repair
#1

I have a refinishing question.

The photo (https://imgur.com/a/4dO3x) shows the tenjin and the middle part of the sao of the shami. The tenjin is nice and shiny, but the sao has lost the shine due (probably) to my removing several layers of old glue and the tattered old fujaku.

The finish is completely undamaged. Suuu — do you know of any polishing/buffing technique/materials that can be used to buff up/reshine the sao?

I don’t know if that would involve buffing compounds, polishes, buffing wheels, or whatever. I’m trying to avoid putting on any additional lacquer or polyurethane, since I don’t know what the original finish is made of.

Thanks!

#2

Something I do when maintaining old fretless instruments (Oud, Violin): mix one cup high quality olive- or lineseed oil with 1/4 cup white vinegar, stir firmly and apply carefully with a microfiber cloth. The vinegar cleans the neck and the oil seals the pores, for retaining moisture and structure. Otherwise, try a fine layer of bees wax?

#3

Thanks, Jan. I’ve used bees wax on furniture. The olive oil/vinegar treatment sounds promising!

© 2020 Kyle Abbott