Removing fingerprints from a rosewood frame

[KingwoodFan1989]

Well long story short, I made a small frame out of Kingwood and put two basswood splines at each corner for a nice contrast. I wanted to leave it unfinished, as the beauty of this type of wood speaks for itself. However, when I took it to the framers, I noticed that my fingerprints were showing on it and making blotchy spots. I don't want to sand the wood, especially since the purple Kingwood sawdust tends to discolor the basswood splines, and I still like how it looks better without finish on it. Is there any easy way to remove fingerprints? Even though it's not quite perfect, I definitely want to put pics of it up here when I get it back from the framers, but I really think the blotches left by my hands look bad on this frame. It might be ready within the next couple of days or so, so I'd like to get this figured out. Any advice?

[jcredding]

I know you don't want to sand, but what about a very high grit micromesh - say 2000 or more? I would think that could do the trick.

[JGrout]

Rubbing alcohol

[KingwoodFan1989]

I might have to try the micro mesh option, as I have 2 sets of the discs all the way up to 12,000. What I used for the final "sanding" before taking it to the framers was 0000 steel wool, and I'm guessing due to the oils in the wood it actually had a bit of a sheen to it. I'll try the 2400 grit micro mesh first. Thanks!

Also, would denatured alcohol work instead of rubbing alcohol just in case the sanding option doesn't work? I'd probably only try that on the exact spots the fingerprints get, as when I tried it before it spread the purple tint of the Kingwood onto the Basswood splines and I ended up having to joint away a little bit to get rid of it.

[Steve N]

I'll stick with Joe here and suggest go with a thinner first. Sanding no matter the grit used will do what you feared in your initial thought. Besides you haven't identified the most likely culprit for the problem.


Read this thread from 2006.

[jteneyck]

I think DNA would work as well.  I'm guessing that the reason you got purple into your basswood when you tried that before was because there was loose dust still in the pores of the wood.  I could be wrong and DNA might actually pull some color out of the Kingwood, but that seems like a stretch to me.  Try this on some scrap first, of course, but if you vacuum and then blow the piece off with compressed air first, I think alcohol will remove the fingerprints w/o transferring any color. 

John

[TomFromStLouis]

Sharp scraper?

[JGrout]

Technically you could classify alcohols rubbing or DNA in the same group you cannot drink either even if some try
 

the key to doing this is to remove the oils from your fingerprints from the wood. 

a friend/mentor of mine who did restoration work to a degree i could never attain told me this once:

use solvents in a manner such that you do the least amount that may damage the piece. working this way allows you if the solvent is not strong enough to move on to the next stronger one with minimal effect on the piece.

[ez-duzit]

"Sharp scraper" This.

[Arlin Eastman]

I think if you sealed the wood before the finish you would not leave any dust on the Basswood.  I learned that while turning and how Padauk leaves dust all over everything.