What's The Shellac and Polish?
"Shellac"
It is a term that is often heard in the world of antique furniture,
I think it's a word that not many people hear.
Many antique shops don't even know what shellac is.
Currently, shellac is not well known in Japan, and some people are unaware of it.
Shellac is an insect that lives mainly in subtropical regions of Southeast Asia.
The raw material is an insect called lac scale insect.
Most of the antique furniture from the 19th century is made using shellac.
It is painted.
This is shellac. (It is also called "Serakku" in Japan.)
It is called shellac flakes because it is in flake form.
When it reflects light it sparkles beautifully and looks like a jewel.
In England, shellac flakes were dissolved in alcohol.
The product is sold and used in a plastic container.
As you can see in the photo, there are many types of shellac.
There are actually four types of shellac flakes used in Listry.
Garnet Rack
The name comes from the gemstone garnet.
This shellac has been left with only the oils removed, leaving behind the pigments of the lac scale insects. When applied to light-colored wood, it produces a slightly reddish brown finish.
The pigment from this scale insect is a versatile natural product that is used to dye drinks, color food, and even as a coating for food and medicine. Chocolate, gum, juice, ketchup, etc.
Garnet lac containing wax
Shellac is the prototype of the garnet lac mentioned above.
This is an original product that has not been altered in any way, leaving the pigments and oils intact.
It contains a lot of wax, so the finish is soft and has a different shine.
Lemon Shellac
This is shellac made by bleaching the brown pigment of garnet lac.
Because the pigment is thinner, it does not interfere with the color of the base when painted, making it extremely useful for repairs.
Super Bronze Shellac
This shellac has been bleached more than lemon shellac, removing as much of the pigment as possible. It is the most expensive of all shellacs.
The coating is very hard and it is often used for finishing table tops, etc.
Other than furniture
Painting wooden instruments such as violins, guitars, and pianos,
It is commonly used in cosmetics such as nail art and lipstick.
As you can see, there are many different types of shellac.
These are mixed in proportions appropriate for the piece.
One cut is made with 12g of shellac and 100cc of alcohol .
Two cuts using "24g of shellac to 100cc of alcohol."
Generally, this is how it is calculated.
It is said that 2 to 3 cuts are suitable for painting furniture.
From the left,
Alcohol, lemon shellac, oil-based garnet, garnet lac
*It is preferable to use alcohol that does not contain water, such as anhydrous ethanol.
This state of shellac dissolved in alcohol is called shellac varnish.
It will be.
『 French Polish 』
French polish is a painting technique that uses shellac and dates back to the 19th century.
In Japan, it is also called tampo suri.
In terms of applying a natural paint, I think it's similar to lacquer.
I believe that shellac obtained from insects and lacquer obtained from plants are essentially similar yet different things, but this is perhaps the easiest analogy to explain.
It is made by wrapping cotton in cloth and soaking it in shellac varnish.
Squeeze it out tightly and apply it quickly.
It feels more like you're stroking it on rather than just applying it.
It is a very delicate painting technique that is difficult to explain.
Unlike the paints you see applied with a brush or spray, shellac varnish is applied in layers only a few microns thick and hardens within seconds or minutes.
So I painted and polished it, and painted and polished it again and again.
Apply layers of shellac.
While regular paints require an average of three coats,
French polishing can take 200-300 coats or more to achieve the same thickness, requiring approximately 100 times more time and effort.
As the layers of varnish are applied, the light refracts more, adding to the soft color of the shellac itself.
By doing so, you will be able to get closer to the deep shine that is unique to antique furniture.
The finish varies, but only a French polish using shellac can achieve this finish.
There are other painting methods using shellac, so I'd like to introduce them to you.
This method also works with shellac varnish and vegetable pigments (natural pigments).
This is done by painting newly remade areas and areas that have faded, to balance the overall look.
A small amount of pigment is dissolved in shellac varnish and various brushes are used to depict the wood grain, or repair marks are erased by matching the color.
If you then apply French polish on top of the painting, it will blend in with the surroundings and give you a natural finish that makes it hard to tell where you painted it.
このように、フレンチポリッシュは他の塗装方法にない素材と技術で仕上がるため大変高価な職人技法です。
昨今のウレタン塗装と比べると熱に弱い特性がありますが、
100％天然素材ですので、木材の呼吸を妨げることなく、人体にも悪影響がありません。
当店ではアンティーク家具の価値を下げることなくこれからも長く、大切にお使い頂くためにシェラックによるフレンチポリッシュ仕上げをお薦めしております。
