shiny shellac

[Bob]

I just applied clear shellac (Bullseye brand, not mixed myself) to a test strip over a boiled linseed oil treated piece of white oak (that had been ammonia fumed). The color and everything looks great, but it appears too glossy for my taste. Does shellac come in different sheens? A satin would seem about right...

If it doesn't come premixed in different sheens, (a) can it be mixed to different sheens from flakes, and (b) are there methods to reduce the gloss without dulling the nice, deepening effect it seems to have?

Thanks for any ideas.

[Pounds on Wood]

I find that rubbing it out with the gray nylon abrasive pads gives a nice sheen.

[Nova]

Use a fine abrasive to reduce the shine. 0000 steel wool works.

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

[Andy Dingley]

Or just to ring the changes here, my favoured abrasive for dulling shellac is rottenstone. If you want it really dull, use 6/0 pumice.

3/0 pumice is too coarse.

I don't use steel wool on oak, because of the tannin content. There always seems to be fragments left behind, and that can give you future troubles with iron stain.

-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

[James Cubby Culbertson]

There's stuff called Shellac Flat that you add to your mixture. Here's a link to the stuff (scroll down a ways)

[Chris Merrill]

I just rub it out with a 'scotch-brite' pad...usually a used one that my SO is ready to throw out. Leaves a nice satin finish.

[Swingman]

Since it's already done, wait until the shellac is cured, rub it out _lightly_ with 0000 steel wool and paste wax, then buff with a soft cloth. You can use mineral spirits to make a slurry with the paste wax. As long as you don't rub down to the wood you shouldn't have any trouble with steel wood on oak.

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

Lightly rub it down with 0000 steel wool, an extra fine scotchbrite, oil & pumice, whatever's handy.

Practice on scrap and use a drop or two of mineral spirits under dry materials.

Barry