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This topic is slightly offtopic because I would like to discuss furniture applications as well as instrument.

On another board I saw a reference to an Alan Carruth guitar that had a satin french polish finish. I also own a couple of guitars, not made by me, with similar finishes. I'd like to know how to achieve this affect, as I know some people don't like the high gloss look of a FP finish.

For the off-topic part, I will be finishing some maple bookcases and an entertainment center. I was contemplating using a finish technique in the Jewitt book - start with danish oil, and finish off with FP for more of a gloss. I don't want super shiny, so again, I'd like to do more of a matte finish. Since the furniture is not going to be held up to the light and inspected from every angle for flaws (like some people like to do with guitars for some odd reason), obviously I can accept a rather less finicky technique.

Seaching on the web pretty much gave me advice to work the surface in parallel strokes with steel wool, and finish off with wax. Is this advisable on instruments? It's probably what I'll do on the furniture unless I get other suggestions.

Basicly all you are talkin about is a less reflective finish. If one of my clients wants satin French polish
I follow the norm procedures but stop the glazing before I reach mirror like reflection.

Normally when I French Polish I glaze till the reflection of my work light is extremly in focus on the film. Satin I stop when it is still slightly fuzzy.

Also if you choose you can buff out with medium Menzerna compound

[QUOTE=MichaelP] Basicly all you are talkin about is a less reflective finish. If one of my clients wants satin French polish
I follow the norm procedures but stop the glazing before I reach mirror like reflection.

Normally when I French Polish I glaze till the reflection of my work light is extremly in focus on the film. Satin I stop when it is still slightly fuzzy.[/QUOTE] Thanks for the reply, but that's not what I'm talking about. Perhaps I should have used the term 'matte' rather than 'satin'? During normal bodying FP is still quite reflective, as you note. I'm talking about a matte finish, where there really is no real reflection to speak of.

I pretty much understood what you were asking. I guess to me, the process of French polishing precludes a true mat finish. However you can take 0000 steelwool with the grain and get there. Myself, I would follow with a med Menzerna buff, or at least a cource. As you know the matte type reflection is cause by many parralel micro-scratches in the film. I would think you coud get this also by using 1500-3200 micromesh with the grain.MichaelP38623.56125

First of all, French Polish is a technique not a finish and this technique implies a gloss sheen. It sounds to me all you want is a shellac finish with a matte sheen. This is easily achieved by applying shellac, either by brush, spray or pad and then using oooo steel wool and a bit of wax to rub it down to a matte finish. I actually show how to apply this finish and rub it out on my guitar finishing dvd which should be released in a couple of months.
Here is what the results look like.

Here is the same rubbing out technique but this time on lacquer. One shot shows the high gloss and the other shows after being rubbed out with steel wool and wax.

I noticed a place called shellac.net sells Something called Shellac Flat as a flattening agent to do just this. Never used it and never dealt with them (although there prices and selection looks good) you can find it here

Has anyone dealt with these guys?

I've been buying my flakes from shellac.net for about a couple years now. No complaints here. Richard Brune also recommended them.jfrench38623.9247916667

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Which of their products do you use?

I have everything from the blonde to the button and seedlac. I prefer the blonde shellac flakes. Sometimes I mix things up to get different shades, but generally I don't like to add color with the finish.

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Instagram: @jfrenchluthier
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At present I personally use Blond, supper blonde and orange shelc, getting down so will need to order more soon and there prices are cheaper than where I have been getting it so I will check them out. I like to get a bit darker colour than I get weith the blond which is what I have been using the orange for but might try their Garnet. Back to the question at hand, has anyone used their flattening agent?arvey38623.9966087963