I’ve found it!

Edited: December 14, 2025, 2:23 PM · I’ve been looking for a safe product to use to clean and polish my violins. There’s so many unsafe ones.
Then, I was watching a YouTube video by Graham Vincent. He kindly showed us how to do it!
He took a cloth, poured some pieces of English walnut onto it, covered it, and smashed it all up. Then he took that oily cloth and polished his old violin. It took off the rosin dust residue and shined that fiddle up real nice.
So, needing to bake some banana bread for a charity bake sale, I bought some walnuts, crushed them with my rolling pin, and did the same thing he did. Then I gently wiped off the fiddle with a clean soft cloth. Then I did the more expensive fiddle. Now, both of them shine like they’re brand new. Not much dirt came off, but all the rosin dust residue is gone.
It really works and didn’t harm either violin. I didn’t use it on the neck or fingerboard.
He did recommend trying a small spot on an area that isn’t highly visible, first.
If your old violin is dull or dirty, this might be worth a try.
If you do, please report your findings here.

Replies (6)

Jeff Terflinger

December 14, 2025, 4:21 PM · It seems that that would risk getting small
nut, dust/bits ground into the varnish of your violin.

Stephen Symchych

December 14, 2025, 5:06 PM · Best let a maker sound off.

Have heard that some use a concoction involving mineral oil. Which doesn’t have much grit in it.

Cotton Mather

Edited: December 14, 2025, 5:18 PM · Please please PLEASE do not use oils to polish your violin. For one, the effect won't last. But once that oil goes gunky, getting it off will be a harrowing endeavour. I've had to clean such instruments and it's gross.

Use only a wet, "grabby" cloth, such as a heavy tissue paper or microfiber washcloth, to clean your instrument. A luthier may elect to use shellac or an abrasive paste to bring a shine back to your instrument, but no layman has business applying those methods.

Ben Furman

December 14, 2025, 5:15 PM · Walnut oil is commercially available as a wood finish. It’s safe to use on things like butcher blocks. I use it to clean and oil rosewood guitar fingerboards. I’ve also used it successfully as a lubricant for French polishing.

Walnut oil is a “drying” oil, which means it polymerizes as it oxidizes. Consequently, it can leave a sticky residue if it is not wiped away thoroughly.

I’ve defer to David Burgess and the other luthiers on violin varnish compatibility.

Nickie McNichols

December 14, 2025, 6:47 PM · Jeff, of course I didnt leave any pieces of walnut on the cloth, and didn’t use the sides the nuts were crushed on at the wood surfaces.
I also found out that some violin varnishes contain walnut oil.
And by the way, Graham Vincent IS a pro luthier.

Ben Furman

December 14, 2025, 9:10 PM · Notably, food-grade walnut oil sold in grocery stores contains vitamin E, and potentially other antioxidants, to prevent it from going rancid, but it is that very rancidity that makes it durable as a woodworking finish and makes it impervious to alcohol.

My guess is you’re leaving very little residue here.

One of these days, I’ll do some research on the Hansen solubility parameters of various violin varnishes. There’s too much black art and too little science. I like Bob Flexner’s perspective on this stuff.

I’ve found it!

Replies (6)

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