Just read that a 1920s French polish recipe called for a 1:1:1 mix of shellac, alcohol, and raw linseed oil. Found it in an old trade manual at a flea market.

Picked up a beat-up book called 'The Cabinetmaker's Companion' from a stall in Asheville for five bucks. It's full of these wild old formulas. This one specifically said to let the oil and shellac mix sit for 48 hours before using. Always thought French polish was just shellac and alcohol. Has anyone actually tried a formula like this, or is it more trouble than it's worth?

3 comments

3 Comments

hall.alex1mo ago

Sounds like a recipe for a sticky mess.

jessesingh1mo ago

Found that exact recipe in a 1920s manual myself. The raw linseed oil isn't for the polish itself, it's a lubricant for the pad to prevent it from sticking. You use a drop on the pad's outer cloth. @hall.alex is right that mixing it in would be a sticky mess, but that's not how it's applied. Letting it sit for two days just helps any wax in the shellac settle out. It gives a super clear finish.

thea_chen18d ago

My last attempt at French polish looked more like a crime scene than a furniture finish.