FRENCH POLISHING, the name given to the now common method of coating wood with a line smooth surface or varnish of gum-lac. Gum-lac is easily soluble in spirits of wine, methylated spirits, or wood-naphtha, and a varnish is thus produced; but if it be applied simply with a brush, as copal, mastic, and most other varnishes are applied, the result is a very rough and broken surface, instead of a smooth continuous polish. To obtain this with a lee-varnish on wood, it is necessary to apply a very small quan tity at once, and to rub it continuously until it dries. If a dry rubber be used, the lac sticks to it, and it is dragged from the wood. An oiled rubber is therefore used, and the oil should be a drying oil, such as linseed. Various kinds of rubbers are used; such as a ball of wool covered with rag, a small rol' of cloth with the edges downwards, and likewise covered with rag. The varnish and oil may be mixed together in a bot tle, shaken up when used, and a little poured upon the rubber; or a simple, solution of shellac may be used, 'and some of this laid upon an oiled rubber. Several suc
cessive coats and rubbings are required, and some skill is necessary, in order to produce a good surface.
The following are some receipts for French polish for mahogany; they might be mul tiplied to a great extent, for they should be modified according to the kind of wood to which they are applied, and the mode of applying them: 1. 5 oz. of pale shellac, dissolved in 1 pint of wood-naphtha, or methylated spirit, or spirits of wine. 2. 5 oz. of pale shel lac, 1 oz. gum sandarac, 1 pint spirit. 3. 1+ lbs. pale shellac, I lb. mastic, 2 quarts spirit. 4. Shellac, 6 oz.; spirit or naphtha, 1 pint; linseed oil, + pint. The last is the most easy to apply; it requires no oil on the rubber, and is a very good domes tic polish for restoring furniture, if properly applied by careful and continuous rubbing.