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Post subject: Fret Edge Question
Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 7:31 pm
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Funny -- I never had problems with fret edges until I moved here to Colorado (and I moved here from Scottsdale, AZ!). I have since added a humidifier to my office where the guitars are kept. And that has helped. That being said, two Strats needed some filing of their fret edges. That went pretty well, but I did scratch the side of the fretboard in a few places. Is there anything that I can use to "polish/sand away" the the light abrasions that I inadvertently applied?

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Post subject: Re: Fret Edge Question
Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 9:37 pm
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If they aren't deep you could just sand them out with some 220 and a small block, small enough to fit about half the space between the affected frets so you have room to move.
It would be tedious work.
Then you could clean out the grains with a toothbrush and follow it up with a mineral or lemon oil treatment.
That's assuming a rosewood board of course.

If it's clear coated maple you'll want to wet-sand with the same block and some 600 or even finer.
Then buff with a cloth wheel.
A touch-up of the clear may be required.

If they're deep you may have to live with them.

In the future you will prolly want to tape the wood around the frets prior to working on them.
Since in this case you were going after the fret ends you'd also want to think about taping the wood on the edge of the board and maybe also a little on the neck wood itself.

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Post subject: Re: Fret Edge Question
Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 11:55 pm
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Location: On the loo, regretting that gas station burrito.
I've had to file fret edges and even with using blue painter's tape, I managed to get a little scuffing, so I used this stuff called Howard Butcher Block Conditioner: Image

http://howardproducts.com/butcher-block-conditioner/

I put some of it on a clean rag and rubbed it all over the fretboard and consequently the whole neck and left it sit overnight and buffed it out the next day. It will be greasy after you put it on, but once you let it sit for several hours and buff it out with another clean rag, it should be fine. This stuff makes your fretboard look new with no marks what so ever, unless you totally gouge it. The reason I even used it was because it was in the house already and I figured why the hell not?

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Post subject: Re: Fret Edge Question
Posted: Wed Mar 08, 2017 12:17 am
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If there are any nicks going through into the wood, use CA glue as a filler first. A toothpick is a good applicator, otherwise the corner of a folded piece of paper. Apply just a little bit and give it a few of minutes to dry before adding some more.

Because the frets themselves may make it difficult to reach with a sanding block, I recommend using 000 steel wool, or woodturners' abrasive felt pads. If using steel wool, make sure you remove the neck, and clean the fretboard well afterwards, because iron fibers seek out magnetic pickups.

Finish with beeswax and a soft buffing wheel on a Dremel, or alternatively a lot of elbow grease with a soft cotton or linen cloth.


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