Nitro safe guitar hangers, or nitro safe material that can be applied to hangers?

[gmm55]

I have a custom build finished in nitrocellulose lacquer. It is very temperamental. I sat it on a foam lined guitar stand and after just a short time it marked the finish. I managed to clean things up with some Micromesh, and then hung the guitar on a hanger lined with leather. To my astonishment, it too marked the finish!

Is there any material safe for nitro finishes? I realize guitar cases are lined with textiles of one kind or another, and this guitar doesn't seem to suffer in the case, but the area of applied force is much greater in a wall hanger or stand, so it seems that the felt could theoretically be a problem there too. In any event, any ideas for nitro safe padding for a hanger would be appreciated.

[chitz]

http://www.stringswing.com

[AllThumbsBruce]

I've used cotton cloth or cork.

[Dave Abrahamson]

How new is the guitar?
Is the finish completely cured?

[rmyAddison]

I've been using Hercules wall hangers and floor stands for a long time, with nothing but nitro Martins which are never in their cases, so years of contact, no problems ever.

[gmm55]

Originally Posted by Dave Abrahamson

How new is the guitar?
Is the finish completely cured?

The guitar was made in 2007, although I only acquired it locally about three months ago. Builder is Neil Peterson, in Bandera Texas. Great guitar with lots of character. Dreadnaught, made of solid Yellow long leaf pine, everything, neck, back, sides, and top.

[merlin666]

My GF likes to knit so I asked her to knit some covers for the parts of the stand that touch the neck and body. I think and hope that the wool she uses is nitro safe. It will also look nice...

[Tico]

100% cotton.
Dishtowels, T-shirts, etc.
Old, white, and washed a zillion times.

[Rudy4]

The leather comment is interesting. I've read that only vegetable tanned leather is safe for finishes. Supposedly the leathers that have been commercially processed in chemical baths (the commonly used processing method) can be unfriendly to nitro finishes.

[justonwo]

Hercules works very well for me.

[fazool]

Hercules claims they are nitro safe. They did have a problem when they started (I read) but that was long long long ago and fixed.

Because I'm a little overprotective, I made little felt tubes on a sewing machine and slip those over the arms.

[tpbiii]

Fully cured is pretty stable -- uncured is pretty unstable. It takes years to fully cure.

[fazool]

Cured has nothing to do with it, really.

Certain chemical reactions will happen to "fully" cured nitroceellulose. For example PVC.

Two examples:

I had a nice cherry desk with nitro finish. Completely rock hard finished fine furniture. I put a vinyl desk mat on it and it melted the finish

I stuffed some of my old childhood toys in an attic. Ten years later I was moving stuff around and found that a rubber band had rested on the head of an original GI Joe doll. The rubber band melted through the head in decade-slow-motion but looked like a hot knife through butter.

Certain plastics will react when dry and fully cured and nitrocellulose lacquer is one of them. The only safe approach is to use a material that does not react.

Assuming its safe because it is cured is an invitation to uninformed disaster.

[Misterkevster]

+1 for Hercules....got a wall full of 'em

[Bill Yellow]

I have a Hercules folding floor stand. Is that likely to be nitro safe? I shall shortly be getting a new luthier built guitar with a nitrocellulose finish, so I don't want to risk marking it.