# French Polish Finish /  update 4/22/06



## pete00 (Apr 9, 2006)

This is the Jr Statesman i posted in the show off section, bunch more pic there.

Iâ€™ve been trying different shellac type finishes. I like this the best so far. I like the look, has depth to it and feels like a highly polished table top, or guitar.

Its Zinsser Bulls Eye French Polish. I applied it with cheesecloth. I picked it up at my local rockler store.

http://zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=87

Its not the real method of applying a french polish finish.
I put a coat on and let it dry for about 10min, used cheesecloth to smooth it out. Put pressure on like you would use friction polish, youâ€™ll see some finish on the cloth. You can watch the shine run up the pen did that about 3 or 4 times I guess. 

After it dried a while , I started to assemble the pen. Put the wrong piece on the end so I had to disassemble the body. Wrapped cloth around body, put in tool and started hitting end until it came out. I didnâ€™t think the finish was cured enough and  I was worried that I had messed it up. To my surprise it handled the pounding well no marks at all.

This is just the finish no wax. Want to see how it holds up. I think to protect it and give it a little more luster ill try using a paste wax. I think it really looks and feels nice. 

I was worried that it would chip, so i dropped it a few times, and hit it lighty. Held up nice. Dropped the blank NOT the pen lol.

Even put a little on the block of wood as well.












I put only one or two coats on these pieces, to test.
Im going to put carry them in my pants pocket this week, to see how theyâ€™ll hold up.

From left to right, amboyna burl, pink ivory,tulipwood,Afzalia Burl
burl, diamond wood. The bottom of the pink ivory and the diamond i 
smuged up a little.








thanks..pete


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## JimGo (Apr 10, 2006)

looks nice Pete!  I'll be curious to hear about your durability results.


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## OSCAR15 (Apr 10, 2006)

Way to go Pete...I have used French Polish on lots of flatwork.  Seems durable enough, but it will be different on pens as you use it daily.
By the way....French Polish (application) is a difficult technique...
You did a great job!  Please post results, as I would be interested in how it held up...OSCAR


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## pete00 (Apr 14, 2006)

Well my unofficial official test results are in.

I would post pictures of what i carried in my pocket all week.
But they look the same as the ones here. Held up great still shiny, no scratches. 

The Jr held up as well. all in all i really like this finish.

I think i may try putting some past wax/ polish on just to see what will happen. TSW comes to mind.

you should give this a try just for kicks.....pete


oops forgot
my emperor has been reborn with a new top, ill post tomorrow with the finish....


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## DCBluesman (Apr 14, 2006)

Pete - This is another shellac and alcohol based friction finish.  Applied correctly, it should stay nice looking for several weeks to several months.  Constant carrying and usage may prove it to be less than durable for heavily handled items like pens, but shellac sure is a nice finish while it lasts. (BTW, it contains methyl isobutyl ketone, so make sure you use it in a well-ventilated area.)


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## pete00 (Apr 15, 2006)

> _Originally posted by DCBluesman_
> <br />Pete - This is another shellac and alcohol based friction finish.  Applied correctly, it should stay nice looking for several weeks to several months.  Constant carrying and usage may prove it to be less than durable for heavily handled items like pens, but shellac sure is a nice finish while it lasts. (BTW, it contains methyl isobutyl ketone, so make sure you use it in a well-ventilated area.)



lou , thanks for the info..seeing i was just playing,
i didnt really follow the directions. I used it more of a friction polish instead of building up the coats per directions.
I like this the best so far, so i will follow the directions
(at least once []) to test the results on a pen.

there's a couple more products im want to play with.
Still shellac based but designed for guitars and violins.
I have one of them the other i need to get.

I remember treating my guitar pretty rough and the shine was always there with a quick buff. 

Actually  Johnathan...you listening ?  Any way you find out what your comrads use to finish and repair your instruments ?

my qwest continues.......


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## ctboy (Apr 15, 2006)

Our shopmaster at school has had us use french polish on almost all pens fro the past year. You can make your own, instead of buying it. You need 1/3 part linseed oil, 1/3 denatured alcohol, and 1/3 shellac


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## pete00 (Apr 15, 2006)

> _Originally posted by ctboy_
> <br />Our shopmaster at school has had us use french polish on almost all pens fro the past year. You can make your own, instead of buying it. You need 1/3 part linseed oil, 1/3 denatured alcohol, and 1/3 shellac



ctboy
thanks for the info.
how does the finish on the pens hold up. If you have to touch them up what do you do....


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## ctboy (Apr 21, 2006)

The finish has held up pretty well on the pen I've used daily for the past year and a half. To refinish them, all you need to do is rub the polish on them and buff it, by hand or on a buffer. After doing this, I usually use Carnauba wax.


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## ctboy (Apr 21, 2006)

The denatured alcohol is especially important because that it is a drier for the linseed oil.


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## DCBluesman (Apr 21, 2006)

John - I don't want to start an argument here, but the denatured alcohol is actually the solvent for the shellac flakes or buttons.  The linseed oil needs to be boiled linseed oil (BLO) which has its own drying agents in it.  I've been making my own for quite some time and like it better than the store varieties.


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## ctboy (Apr 22, 2006)

I researched that, and you're correct. I was saying what my shopmaster told us,but i guess he is incorect also. Thanks for correcting me.


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## pete00 (Apr 22, 2006)

> _Originally posted by ctboy_
> <br />I researched that, and you're correct. I was saying what my shopmaster told us,but i guess he is incorect also. Thanks for correcting me.



thanks for the info John, i really like the way the wood feels, so i will continue to experiment, off to the garage....


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## pete00 (Apr 22, 2006)

These are my test finish  pens. 
First is no finish used about three months,
applied furniture polish once week

Next two are 2-3 weeks old 2-3 coats shallac

Last is the one i just did, tung oil with 5 coats finish, and hut wax.
Wiped them with rag before i took picture.



<br />


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## challagan (Apr 23, 2006)

Pete, which is the Tung Oil finish one, the top one in the photo or the bottom one? Great looking pens. Curious on how that tung oil finish holds up as well.

corey


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## pete00 (Apr 23, 2006)

> _Originally posted by challagan_
> <br />Pete, which is the Tung Oil finish one, the top one in the photo or the bottom one? Great looking pens. Curious on how that tung oil finish holds up as well.
> 
> corey



Corey
Its the bottom one. The emperor made from kingwood. Its not strictly tung oil. I put a couple of coats of oil on after i sanded. Then put the coats of shallac on over it. I tried just tung oil a while back but didnt like the way it came out. Of course i didnt put it on like i would a piece of furniture. Coat on let dry sand, coat on let dry sand....etc It would take days to do it right(accourding to the book)

Im still experimenting with these finishes, but so far this last one seems to be working well. It has a nice woodsy feel to it.

If i confused you more ask away....pete


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