FRENCH POL′ISH

Several varnishes are used under this name. That most generally employed is a simple solution of pale shell-lac in either methylated spirit or wood naphtha. Sometimes a little mastic, sandarac, or elemi, or copal varnish, is added to render the polish tougher. Prep. 1. From pale shell-lac, 5 1 ⁄ 2 oz.; finest wood naphtha, 1 pint; di olve. 2. Pale shell-lac, 3 lbs.; wood naphtha, 1 gall. Methylated spirit (68 o. p.) may be substituted for the naphtha in each of the above formulæ. 3. Pale shell-lac, 5 oz.; gum sandarac, 1 oz.; spirit (68 o. p.), 1 pint. 4. Pale shell-lac, 5 1 ⁄ 2 oz.; gum elemi, 3 ⁄ 4 oz.; spirit, 1 pint. 5. Pale shell-lac, 1 1 ⁄ 4 lbs.; mastic, 1 ⁄ 4 lb.; spirit, 2 quarts. 6. Pale shell-lac, 2 1 ⁄ 4 lbs.; mastic and sandarac, of each 3 oz.; spirit, 1 gall.; di olve, add copal varnish, 1 pint, and mix by roughly agitating the ve el. All the above are used in the manner described below. 7. Shell-lac, 12 oz.; wood naphtha, 1 quart; di olve, and add of linseed oil, 1 ⁄ 2 pint. 8. Shell-lac, 1 ⁄ 2 lb.; gum sandarac, 1 ⁄ 4 lb.; spirit, 1 quart; di olve, add of copal varnish, 1 ⁄ 4 pint; mix well, and further add of linseed oil, 1 ⁄ 2 pint. The last two require no oil on the rubber. Obs. The preparation of French polish is precisely similar to that of other spirit or naphthalic varnishes. Sometimes it is coloured, in order to modify the character of the wood. A REDDISH TINGE is given with dragon’s blood, alkanet root, or red sanders wood; and a YELLOWISH TINGE , by turmeric root or gamboge. When it is simply desired to DARKEN the wood, brown shell-lac is employed to make the polish; and when the object is to keep the wood LIGHT COLOURED , a little oxalic acid (2 to 4 dr. to the pint) is commonly added. These substances are either steeped in or agitated with the polish, or with the solvent, before pouring it on the ‘gums,’ until they di olve, or a sufficient effect is produced. French polish is not required to be so clear and limpid as other varnishes, and is, therefore, never artificially clarified. See Varnish , and below .