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Scan 133
An Encyclopedia of the Violin, 1925
22 lines. Read by computer on 28 September 2026. Printed page 107. See the scan on archive.org.
1Drying Oil or Oil Varnish
3All the famous Italian and German violin makers, such as the Amati, the Stradivarii, the Stainers, and others, have made use of drying oils or oil varnishes, which are far more beautiful and also far more durable than the spirit varnishes. They have another great advantage over the latter, that of not requiring so much polishing. In addition, two layers applied to an instrument cover the wood as thoroughly as seven or eight layers of varnish prepared with spirits of wine.
5The ingredients composing this varnish are: (1) resin of amber, (2) linseed oil, (3) essence of terebinth.
7Before occupying one's self with the varnish, the oil must be prepared in order to render it siccative, for if it were to be employed in its original state, the varnish would take an incalculable time to dry. This oil may be rendered siccative in two different ways, the first of which is known to every house painter. The process is the following one:
9Take 21 1/3 ounces of linseed oil, 14/15 of an ounce of litharge, the same amount of sulphate of lead, umbra and plaster; boil the whole in a glazed pot on a slow and even fire, taking care to skim the mixture while boiling. As soon as the scum begins to grow red and scanty, the fire is banked and the oil is allowed to settle, in order to be decanted later on in its clarified form.
11It seems worth while remarking that this operation should be carried out in a yard or somewhere in the open, if possible, in order to avoid accidents and the disagreeable odor which is given off during the boiling process.
13The second process does not offer these inconveniences, but is a much longer one.
15Add to 1 5/8 quarts of linseed oil, 8 7/15 ounces of muriatic acid (spirit of sal ammoniac) and allow the mixture to stand until the acid has separated from the oil, which becomes clear and limpid.
17A bottle is then filled one-quarter full with carefully cleansed and dried sand, and into the bottle thus prepared one part of oil and two parts of boiling water are poured, care being taken to stir the mixture several times a day. When the oil has been deposited upon the sand, it should be carefully withdrawn, the water being poured off, and the oil then replaced on its sand bed, while fresh water is poured into the bottle. The operation is repeated until the water is no longer clouded. It is then allowed to stand for several days, when the oil is placed in a clean, dry bottle.
19Once the oil has thus been prepared, the preparation of the varnish itself may be undertaken.
21Take 5 1/8 ounces of amber varnish, from which any extraneous matter which may have become mixed with it has been carefully removed, break this amber into fragments of the size of small peas, and place them in an iron pot which has not been used before. On these pieces of amber a ladleful of essence
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