French Polish

What:
Ready to use solution of Shellac in alcohol. Shellac is a natural material made by lice.

Result:
Gloss to high gloss with a transparent amber color.
Built up in layers to create a hard protection coat for your wood.

Preparation:
Sand the surface smooth u/i grit 400. Remove dust and grease.
Fill the pores with grainfiller or the pumice technique, with which you use the Shellac in combination with a dap of pumice powder to sand the surface creating a sludge of sand dust and shellac to go into the pores. The pumice remains on top and is wiped off.
Apply Shellac sanding sealer as a primer for the best result.
Create your applicator pad by folding an absorbing fabric, such as polishing cotton, into a lint-free cloth. The pad should be around the size of a small orange and secured tightly with an elastic band.

Application:
Dab your pad in the Shellac solution till drops are released when squeezed. Start with up and downward strokes on a small surface and rub with the pad till the Shellac is absorbed by the wood and a smooth constant layer is formed. A few drops of mineral oil can be placed on your pad as a lubricant.
When your pad runs dry or sticky, dap in the Shellac mixture and repeat the process. Work in sections on your instrument till you made a complete cover. Optionally you can give the layer a light rub with a few drops of alcohol on your pad, work in the direction of the grain.
Let set for 2 days before applying the next layer.
Recommended is at least 6 layers. In between the layers can be sanded lightly with wet/dry sanding paper from grit 600 – 1200.

Finish and maintain:
Thanks to the application method, further polishing is not required. If you do want to, for more gloss, you can use the Menzerna 3500.
Damages are repaired by sanding and rebuilding layers, making sure that all grease is removed before start. Clean your guitar with a damp (not wet) cloth or Lemon Oil.

Safety:
Ventilate well and use a fine-dust mask. Shellac contains a lot of alcohol!

Tip: Finishing products and product combinations should always be tested before use