What do I do when my son's band is not so careful with my instruments? Buy Sharpies! It was scary at first.
Having! been a regional 'rock star' (guitar, keys, backing vocals, bass, trumpet) I have collected a few instruments. Things don't stay perfect for ever. So, I began not restoring but 'hacking'!
I had no clue how to begin. No designs in my head. The medium(s) were new territory. So i started in the circles. Ok, this is working!
I quickly realized I had to take another aporoach. 'Coloring' was making a garbled mess.
I left the cap off the blue, so it's not quite finished.
Part 2
When my son (drummer -aged 14 at that time)was picked up by another local band after his first show, I welcomed all the boys (who were older ) into my home. Let the growling metal-core begin! Over the teen years, a few of my instruments were showing up with a little da n age here and there. But even through all their personnel, they were and are great 'step kids'
About a year ago, I took on an old, rusty, broken snare drum. Disassembly- Painstaking rust removal-$$ at the drum shop- polishing-reassemby Now it'.s 'great and is perfect for ghost notes' Lol!