What is Wiping Varnish?
Simply put, wiping varnish is oil varnish which has been diluted enough to be applied with a rag. It is easy enough to make your own. In his book Hand-Applied Finishes , Jeff Jewitt describes it as varnish thinned to the consistency of whole milk, which ends up being something like a 1:2 to 1:3 varnish-to-thinner ratio. When in doubt it is probably better to err on the side of a thinner mix. Because it is tough, and since we don’t attempt to rub out our finish (the coats are simply too thin), we like to use readily available general purpose interior satin polyurethane varnish mixed with odorless paint thinner. You could also use a gloss product, but expect to put a bit more effort into buffing down the final coats to attain a satin finish. Varnish tends to thicken and skin over when exposed to air, so it is a good idea to mix wiping varnish in small batches, store it in airtight containers, and use it up quickly. It takes about a cup of wiping varnish to finish a typical guitar accordi
