shellac

[monro1066]

any records of Shellac being used in  Ky gunbuilding back in the day or even now?
TY in advance
Don

[Robby]

If you do a search for 'shellac' you will find many good references to its use. There used to be someone here that always used shellac for his base coat, long time ago and I don't remember the details. Good luck.
Robby

[okawbow]

I have used shellac as a base coat on many violins and my last three rifles. Works great. I mix ruby shellac flakes with alcohol and let set overnight. Strain and apply with a soft varnish brush. Can do a coat every hour or so until I get the build up and grain sealing I want. Steel wool or light sanding between coats. Traditional oil varnish over the shellac ground.

[Bill in Md]

I believe "French polish" an antique oil was a combination of shellac and boiled linseed oil which was used on fine furniture and instruments

[mountainman]

I don't about the originals, but I believe Mike Miller use shellac on his rifles as of now.

[flembo]

I used shellac on an unmentionable years ago, it looked great but would turn a gray color when hunting in the rain for any length of time. It always returned to the original looking finish when it dried out though. That was in the 60s when you could bring a gun to school on the bus and work on it in shop class.

[Eric Kettenburg]

I've used thinned 'spit coats' of seedlac or shellac for sealer (not as a top finish) for well over 20 years and used to talk about it when I did seminars at Dixons.  It does have moderate water/moisture resistance although not enough for a top finish on a hunting gun exposed to weather variables, but it makes for a very fast and tough 'sealer' which dramatically can cut down on the overall finishing time; think of it as a good "base" for a tougher oil finish or varnish.  I do not know of any period documentation for it being used by gunstockers specifically but there is much documentation for its availability in both pre-War and post-War eras here in America.  Also choosing a good ruby to dark amber colored lac as a sealer definitely assists in attractive coloration of the stock.

You do not want to use heavy cuts and you do not want to allow it to build on the surface of the wood; it should simply be used as a sealer in the wood to prohibit soaking-in of the oil finish/varnish.

[Scota4570]

I just put some on a walnut stock.  IT dries fast.  IT sands easy and shows sanding scratches from the previous coarser grits.  I plan to use it to try and seal off the grain and shorten the grain filling process. 

I once used it to finish a stock.  IT stayed sticky.  I used to much. 

[Joe Stein]

Look up Tall Bear, Mitch Yates on this website. Also check YouTube. I think his presentation from Kempton is there, video by I love Muzzle loading, or whatever he calls himself.

[monro1066]

Thanks all......really appreciated Don

[okawbow]

One thing to think about. Shellac works best when it’s fresh. Buy the flakes and mix it yourself. The stuff in cans could be old and has additives to prevent it from drying too fast. You can also adjust the mix with more or less alcohol to get the fast drying and coverage you want. Thin is better on most woods. You can also buy different colors to get a slight base tone. I sometimes add alcohol soluble resins to get more fill.

[T*O*F]

I do not know of any period documentation for it being used by gunstockers

Eric,
There are period references to "spirit varnish."  Wouldn't that be shellac or lacquer.

[Scota4570]

I think they were writing about shellac. 

Lacquer, the original type was nitrocellulose base, came along in the early 20th century. I have used a lot of rattle can lacquer as a base filler coat on stocks.  The sanding sealer version works really well.  For that matter I have finished many utility gun stocks with lacquer.  Many factories used lacquer on modern guns.   

[Eric Kettenburg]

There are a large variety of alcohol-soluble resins that could have been included in 'spirit varnish' of the era.  To my knowledge, there is nothing that indicates specific use of lac products relative to gunstocking.  Of course there are period texts dating back to the Renaissance that deal with varnish formulations for a variety of woodworking trades and in particular stringed instrument making, but was there crossover with gunstocking?  Firearms meant to be used outside in a wide range of climate changes are a very different animal than say a violin, so we unfortunately have no way of knowing specifically what was used or referenced when terms like "varnish" or "spirit varnish" are used, other than that obviously a spirit varnish is referencing alcohol solubility.                                     

[monro1066]

TY all Regards Don