Binding "Decay"
Binding Repair
Binding is found on many instruments along the outline of the top, back, peghead and/or fingerboard. Not only is binding decorative but it also serves to protect and seal the end grain of the top and back. Binding is usually made from celluloid, plastics or wood. Plastic binding may be white, ivory, ivoriod (ivory with "grain" lines), black or tortoise.
Wood binding can be made from numerous species and dyed any number of colors. The laminates or decoration found just inside the outer binding is known as the purfling.
In order to get the multiple lines you see around the edge of an instrument many pieces of binding may be laminated together.
The most common problems we encounter with binding are shrinkage, which may cause the binding to pop loose and deterioration on vintage instruments which causes the binding to crumble into countless tiny pieces. |
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Repairing Loose Binding- Some celluloid binding is particularly prone to shrinkage and if it shrinks enough it usually pops loose from the wood. The tight area of the waist is a very common spot. If the shrinkage is minimal, the binding can sometimes be heated and gently stretched back into place and secured. But celluloid bindin is extremely flammable and heating it is by no means a job for a do-it-yourselfer. Poof! And stretching any kind of binding must be done very gently or it will quickly change shape and deform leaving you with no option but to replace it.
To be quite frank, I have seen so many botched binding repair jobs that it is among the most common in my "repairs gone wrong" category when it comes to do-it-yourselfer repairs.. Individuals with no experience use inappropriate adhesives or do a very sloppy job applying it damaging the finish and often damaging the wood upon removal.
When binding shrinks a good deal it is often too short to force back into shape as the tension would surely cause it to pop loose again or not seat properly.
In the picture below this binding had popped loose and cracked. After gluing it in place there is a gap due to shrinkage and it was filled with a small patch of binding.
Gap In Binding Was Patched
In other instances the binding may pop loose at the waist lets say, be too short to force back in position but be free from any cracks or breaks. In order to avoid cutting and splicing at the waist I may loosen the binding to the point of the manufacturers original seam in order to place the splice there, if needed. Builders and manufacturers normally place seams at the center of the neck and tail blocks.
Binding Is Further Loosened Up To The Neck Block
To Avoid An Additional Seam
Because binding has been painted over, removing it will cause chipping of the finish along it's edges. This is one fact to consider when choosing the proper method of repair. Binding is something which is dealt with before any finish is applied when building an instrument. But since we are repairing it, we are forced to deal with finish chip which can vary greatly from one instrument to another depending on the kind of finish and it's thickness and age.
Binding on the fingerboard can also develop cracks, especially if the instrument has become a bit "dehydrated". Since the fingerboard (and other wood) will shrink if there is a loss of moisture, the fret ends can begin to put pressure on the binding. (The fingerboard can shrink but the nickel frets can not).
Some of the adhesives used to adhere bindings to the body are very harmful to the finish and the instrument must be carefully masked to avoid damage. |
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