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Post 07 Mar 2021, 19:07 • #1 
Sport
Joined: 04/20/20
Posts: 98
Location: Springfield, PA
I recently resurrected an old thread that provided a quick method to finger coat old Fenwicks with spar varnish to restore their luster form year's past. The original thread can be found here:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18487

I recently applied Whirlpool's quick and simple method to two venerable Fennies - a D serial FF79 and a J serial FF70. Start to finish the process took about 15 minutes to clean, dry, coat, and tell the kids three times they weren't allowed to open the basement door by the furnace until the following day (that door is what I leaned the rods against to cure overnight - for others with teens, yes . . . I know a 3 time warning is 4 times less than what's usually required. It was getting late, I accepted the risk, and moved on :) )

Here's a few before pix of the 79 - and a few after pix of both rods - I didn't take any pix of the 70 but the condition was about the same: no major issues - a few scratches but all in all, sound rods in good condition with some grunge and minor scuffing from use.

I was amazed by how much the rod's appearances shined through. They both looked like seldom-used rods after coating.

A couple before pix of the 79 (including the door):






A couple of after pix of both rods (the 70 is closest to the bench edge; the 79 is closest to my rod building setup):





The original thread I ref'd above tells you everything you need to know, really but in the interest of contributing something to the conversation, I'll add two minor points:

For cleaning I opted to stay away from steel wool all together and used a small section of a blue scotch brite pad and regular dish soap & warm water. That cleaned up the rods quite nicely.

If you bought a quart of spar specifically to perform Fenwick refreshes like the ones we're discussing, that quart will probably last you thru 10,000 or more rods - that's how little of the stuff you need to complete a refresh like this. I used Rustoleum Spar for these because that's what I had on the shelf.


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Post 07 Mar 2021, 20:55 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
Did you thin it at all?


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Post 07 Mar 2021, 21:24 • #3 
Sport
Joined: 04/20/20
Posts: 98
Location: Springfield, PA
I didn't thin it at all. Used it right from the can.


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Post 09 Mar 2021, 08:38 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
A note on the lifespan of spar varnish. Check out other posts that metion Bloxygen (search the form). Once a can is opened, it has a limited lifespan. Actually as long as you can keep air away, it's great. If the varnish starting to thicken, you might want to get another can.


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Post 21 Apr 2021, 17:13 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/25/16
Posts: 1069
Location: Rocky Mountains - Colorado
Wow...those rods really shine. I have an FF86 that could stand a little clean up. I'll bug out to the local Big Box Hardware store and get some spar.


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Post 21 Apr 2021, 19:11 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
Looks great!


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Post 22 Apr 2021, 10:12 • #7 
Guide
Joined: 09/26/12
Posts: 159
Location: AB, Canada
I agree, very nice work. Can you clarify if you used a urethane spar? Versus a traditional phenolic spar.


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Post 22 Apr 2021, 11:40 • #8 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
Rustoleum Spar is an exterior polyurethane. That is why it's so clear, I think.


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Post 22 Apr 2021, 17:51 • #9 
Guide
Joined: 09/26/12
Posts: 159
Location: AB, Canada
So Rustoleum would be similar to Minwax Helmsman Exterior Spar Urethane then I suppose.


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Post 23 Apr 2021, 07:18 • #10 
Sport
Joined: 04/20/20
Posts: 98
Location: Springfield, PA
I'm pretty certain the product is a varnish, not a urethane.



Although it's marketed as "clear gloss", I guess it's "spar clear" - it definitely has a very rich amber hue to it.



I picked this can up right in the middle of lockdown so like everything else, it came from Amazon. Based on some feedback from Carlz further up this thread, I ended up giving the can a very good mix and then moving the spar to a bunch of 2 oz bottles (shown) so I'm not exposing the entire lot of it to air every time I need a bottlecap full for something.

Here's an example of the same spar used on Superior's Kimono silk #304 Golden Pavilion. The thread, a very nice golden yellow, is covered with 3 coats of the same spar and topped with a thin coat of Pro Kote.



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Post 23 Apr 2021, 09:47 • #11 
Guide
Joined: 09/26/12
Posts: 159
Location: AB, Canada
You're right that's not the exterior spar urethane. Looks like traditional phenolic spar.


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Post 23 Apr 2021, 12:09 • #12 
Administrator
Joined: 01/10/06
Posts: 7811
Location: Holly Springs, NC
The Rustoleum technical data sheet indicates an 'oil modified urethane'. So yes, this is similar to Helmsman Exterior Spar Urethane.

There are no specifications for what makes a spar varnish. Typically this means a finishing product with a resin, an oil, and solvent. Polyurethane and phenolic resins will not breakdown as quickly in a wet environment. The oil component keeps the cured varnish flexible. The solvent helps the varnish spread and penetrate.

Separating the varnish into smaller containers will preserve it better than anything else. Modern formulations use the least solvent possible, so they are borderline too thick when the can is opened. When I separate a new can into small bottles, I prepare some with 50% mineral spirits. I use the thinned bottles for the first couple of coats on fresh wraps.


Tom


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Post 25 Apr 2021, 22:34 • #13 
New Member
Joined: 01/29/21
Posts: 9
Rods look good. Thanks for bumping that thread. I recently used those instructions to spiff up a Conolon F88. I too used a Scotch Brite pad instead of steel wool. Rather than buy a big can of spar, I picked up a small bottle of Man O War from Proof Fly Fishing (more expensive per oz, but woodworking is another hobby and I already have too many big cans of non-UV finish sitting around). Applied with gloved fingers. Worked great and took very little time. As an inexpensive Bloxygen alternative you can use canned air (like for your computer keyboard). I came across that tip a number of times on woodworking sites/forums. I've been doing that for years with woodworking finishes and it seems to work well.


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