_FRENCH POLISHING._
=The Polish Used.=--The oil or wax polish was used for all kinds of
furniture before the introduction of French polish, the invention of
which, as its name implies, is due to French cabinet-makers. It was
first introduced into England about seventy years since; some time
elapsed, however, before it was brought to a high state of perfection.
At first apprentices or porters were entrusted with the polishing, they
having been usually called upon to do the wax polishing; but in course
of time it was found that its successful adoption implied the possession
of considerable skill, and it came to be regarded as an art of no little
importance--so much so, that the early polishers who had perfected
themselves used to work in a shop with closed doors, lest the secret of
their success should be discovered. From that time polishing became a
separate branch of the cabinet business.
The following original recipe as first invented has been extracted from
a French work, the _Dictionnaire Technologique_, not, however, for its
usefulness (it having gone into disuse many years ago), but as a matter
of curiosity:--
"_French Polish._"
Gum sandarach 14 ounces 2 drachms
Gum mastic in drops 7 " 2 "
Shellac (the yellower the better) 14 " 2 "
Alcohol of 0.8295 specific gravity 3 quarts and 1 pint.
"Pound the resinous gums, and effect their solution by continued
agitation, without the aid of heat; if the woods are porous, add seven
ounces one drachm of Venice turpentine. If an equal weight of ground
glass be added, the solution is more quickly made, and is also otherwise
benefited by it. Before using, the wood should be made to imbibe a
little linseed-oil, the excess of which should be removed by an old
flannel."
Notwithstanding the improvement made upon the old processes by this new
method, it was by no means considered to be perfect, for the polish was
found to impart its brown tinge to the light-coloured woods, especially
in marqueterie work, and to deteriorate their appearance. It will be
readily seen that it was a great desideratum among polishers to render
shellac colourless, as, with the exception of its dark-brown hue, it
possesses all the properties essential to a good polish or spirit
varnish in a higher degree than any of the other resins.
In 1827 the Society of Arts came forward with its valuable aid and
offered a premium of a gold medal, or thirty guineas, "for a polish or
varnish made from shell or seed-lac, equally hard, and as fit for use in
the arts as that at present prepared from the above substance, but
deprived of its colouring matter." After numerous experiments, this
long-felt want was perfectly attained by Dr. Hare, who was awarded the
premium. His method was as follows: "Dissolve in an iron kettle one part
of pearlash in about eight parts of water; add one part of shell or
seed-lac, and heat the whole to ebullition. When the lac is dissolved,
cool the solution, and impregnate it with chlorine till the lac is all
precipitated. The precipitate is white, but its colour deepens by
washing and consolidation; dissolved in alcohol, lac, bleached by the
process above mentioned, yields a polish or varnish which is as free
from colour as any copal varnish." At the present time shellac is
bleached by filtration over animal charcoal.
Numerous experiments were afterwards made in the manufacture of
polishes; several chemists devoted their attention to its manufacture,
and an improved polish was soon produced which was used for a number of
years. The following are its proportions:--
Shellac 14 ounces.
Sandarach 3/4 ounce.
White resin 3/4 "
Benzoin 3/4 "
Gum thus 3/4 "
O.P. finishing spirit 1/2 a gallon.
The "filling-in" processes also began to be used, which effected a
considerable saving in the quantity of polish usually required, and in
consequence of the expensiveness of spirits of wine rectified spirits of
naphtha was used as a substitute for the making of polishes, etc.; but
it was discovered that its continued use soon affected the eyesight of
the workmen, and it had to be abandoned, the methylic alcohol, pyroxylic
spirit, or wood spirit, as it has been differently called, taking its
place. This was first discovered by Mr. Philip Taylor in 1812, and is
obtained by distilling wood. Messrs. Dumas & Peligot, after analysing
it, determined that it contained 37·5 per cent. of carbon, 12·5 per
cent. of hydrogen, and 50 per cent. of oxygen. When pure, it remains
clear in the atmosphere; but for the sake of economy it is often
employed in the manufacture of other compounds called methylated. This
spirit began to be much used in the manufacture of polishes and
varnishes in the year 1848, and has continued to be much used ever
since.
The wonderful improvements which have been effected in polishes since
their first introduction obviously prove that they have now arrived at a
very high point of perfection, and polishing is now justly acknowledged,
both by skilled artisans and connoisseurs, to be an important decorative
art. French polish or varnish at the present time can easily be obtained
at most chemists or oil shops, or direct from the manufacturers, amongst
whom may be mentioned Mr. W. Urquhart, 327, Edgware-road, W.; Messrs.
Turner & Sons, 7 to 9, Broad-street, Bloomsbury, W.C.; Messrs. William
Fox & Son, Bethnal Green-road, E.; Mr. G. Purdom, 49, Commercial-road,
E.
The London prices are: Best French polish, 5s. 6d. per gallon; best
white polish, 9s. per gallon; brown or white hard varnish, 8s. per
gallon; patent glaze, 10s. per gallon; methylated spirits, 3s. 3d. per
gallon. For those who prefer to make their own, the following will be
found an excellent recipe:--
12 ounces of orange shellac.
1 ounce of benzoin.
1 ounce of sandarach.
1/2 gallon of methylated spirits.
Pound the gums well before mixing with the spirit, as this will hasten
their dissolution. White polish for white wood and marqueterie work
should be made with bleached shellac instead of the above. In making
polishes or varnishes, the mixture will frequently require shaking until
dissolved.
=Rubbers.=--In commencing to polish, the materials required are old
flannel for the rubbers and clean old linen or cotton rags for the
coverings, the softer the better; some polishers, however, prefer white
wadding for rubbers instead of flannel. Rubbers for large surfaces are
usually made of soft old flannel, firmly and compactly put together
somewhat in the form of a ball, and the more they possess softness and
compactness, and are large and solid, the more quickly and
satisfactorily will they polish extensive surfaces. Small pliable
rubbers are usually employed for chairs or light frame-work. Perhaps for
a beginner a rubber made of old flannel may be best, as it takes some
little practice to obtain the necessary lightness of hand.
The rubber for "spiriting-off" should be made up from a piece of old
flannel or woollen cloth, and covered with a piece of close rag,
doubled. Carefully fold the rag and screw it round at the back to make
it as firm as possible, and sprinkle some spirit on the face of it just
as it is covered; then give it two or three good smacks with the palm of
the hand, and begin by laying on as lightly as possible for the first
few strokes and gradually increase the pressure as the rubber gets dry;
then take off the first fold of the cover and work it perfectly dry.
The rubber should present to the wood you are about to work on a
smooth-rounded or convex surface. Have beside you linseed-oil in one
receptacle, and some French polish in another. Apply one drop of polish
and one drop of oil, and polish with a circular movement--traversing
steadily the _whole_ surface to be polished, and from time to time, as
may be necessary (when the rubber gets sticky and harsh, indicating that
the inside needs replenishing with more polish), open and apply more of
it, and again draw over the linen cover, holding it tightly to form the
convex face proper to do the work. After replenishing, the rubber will
probably need a little more oil to help it to work smoothly. Having thus
worked on one coat of polish evenly over all the wood until it has got
what may best be described as a _full look_, set it aside for two or
three hours to sink in and become hard, and when completely dry, lightly
paper off with glass-paper (very finest), afterwards dusting the surface
to remove any trace of powder, and lay on a second coat of polish in the
same method. Then allow twenty-four hours to dry. Another light papering
may possibly be needed--dust off as before recommended and let the wood
have a _third_ coat of polish.
For this third coat a fresh rubber should be made, the inside being
sparingly supplied with spirits of wine instead of polish. Put a double
fold of linen over it, touch it with one drop of oil, and go very
lightly and speedily over the whole work.
In spiriting-off--the object of which is to remove any trace of smudge
that may blur the surface unless removed thus by spirit--you should go
gently to work, using a very light hand, or you may take the polish off
as well, amateurs more especially.
=Position.=--All work should be placed in an easy and accessible
position while it is being polished, so that the eye may readily
perceive the effect of the rubber; this will greatly help to relieve the
difficulties attending the polishing of a fine piece of furniture. It
should also be kept quite firm, so that it cannot possibly move about.
The most suitable benches for polishers are the ordinary cabinet-makers'
benches, with the tops covered with thick, soft cloths; these cloths
should not be fastened down, it being an advantage to be able to remove
them when required. When a piece of work too large to be placed upon the
bench is in hand, pads will be found useful to rest it upon. These can
be made by covering pieces of wood about two feet in length by three
inches in width with cloth several times doubled, the work being placed
so that a good light falls upon it. All thin panelling should be tacked
down upon a board by the edges while polishing.
=Filling-in.=--The first process the wood usually undergoes is
"filling-in." This consists in rubbing into the pores of the wood
Russian tallow and plaster of Paris, which have been previously heated
and mixed together so as to form a thick paste. For rosewood, or to
darken mahogany, a little rose-pink should be added. After well rubbing
in, the surface should be cleared from all the surplus paste with the
end of the scraper, and then rubbed off with shavings or old rags, and
made quite clean. For birch or oak, some use whiting or soft putty
moistened with linseed-oil for the filling; this preparation prevents in
a great measure the rising of the grain. For white delicate woods, such
as sycamore, maple, or satin-wood, plaster of Paris, mixed with
methylated spirit, is used. When polishing pine, a coat of Young's
patent size (2d. per lb.) is used instead of the above mixtures, and
when dry is rubbed down with fine glass-paper.
Some workmen, who regard their modes of filling-in as important secrets,
do their work surprisingly quick by the methods here given. The various
processes are soon acquired by a little practice, and contribute greatly
to the speedy advancement of a smooth and imporous ground, which is the
most important point to observe in polishing.
=Applying the Polish.=--In commencing to use the polish some are
provided with a small earthenware dish, into which the polish is poured
for wetting the rubbers; while others make a slit in the cork of the
polish bottle, and so let it drip on to the rubber; whichever method is
adopted, the rubber should not be saturated, but receive just enough to
make a smear. Every time after wetting the rubber and putting on the
cover it should be pressed upon the palm of the hand, or if a small
rubber it can be tested between the thumb and finger. This is an
important operation, for by it the polisher can easily tell the exact
state of moisture, and at the same time, by the pressure being applied,
the moisture is equalised. The tip of the finger should then be just
dipped into the linseed-oil, and applied to the face of it; if the
rubber should be rather sappy, the greatest care must be used or a
coarse streaky roughness will be produced; extreme lightness of hand is
required until the rubber is nearly dry. (It would be a serious error to
bear heavily on the rubber while the surface is moist; to do so, and to
use too much oil on the rubber, are the causes of many failures in
polishing.)
In commencing to work, pass the rubber a few times gently and lightly
over the surface in the direction of the grain; then rub across the
grain in a series of circular movements, all one way, in full and free
sweeping strokes, until the rubber is dry. Continue this operation until
the pores are filled in, and the surface assumes a satisfactory
appearance. It should then be left for about twelve hours; the polish
will be well into the wood by that time. The polish should then be
carefully rubbed down with No. glass-paper; this will remove the atomic
roughness usually caused by the rising of the grain during the sinking
period. In flat-surface work a paper cork can be used, and the rubbing
lightly and regularly done in a careful manner, so as to avoid rubbing
through the outer skin, especially at the edges and corners, or the work
will be irremediably defaced.
The woods which possess a rising grain are well known to polishers;
these are the light-coloured woods with a coarse grain, viz., ash,
birch, and oak. This rising of the grain can in a great measure be
prevented by passing a damp sponge over the work before commencing the
polishing, allowing it to dry, and papering it. After the rubbing or
smoothing-down process is finished, the work should be well dusted; the
polishing can then recommence. The above operation must be again
repeated with a rotary motion and gradually increased pressure as the
rubber gets dry, and finished by lighter rubbings the way of the grain;
this will remove any slight marks that may be occasioned by the circular
movements of the rubber.
Working too long on any one part is to be avoided, nor should the rubber
be allowed to stick even for an instant, or it will pull the coating of
polish off to the bare wood. The rubber should be covered with a clean
part of the rag as soon as a shiny appearance becomes apparent upon it,
or at each time of damping, and less oil should be used towards the end
of the operation, so as to gradually clear it all off from the surface.
Rubber marks can be removed by rubbing in a direction the reverse of the
marks with a half-dry rubber and increased pressure. When the work has
received a sufficient body, in finishing the drying of the last rubber,
ply it briskly the way of the grain to produce a clean dry surface for
the spiriting-off.
The following is the method usually employed on fine carved or turned
work when finished in the best style. In the first place it is embodied
with polish, using a small rubber for the operation, after which it
should have one coat of shellac (two parts by weight of shellac to one
of spirits) applied with a brush, and when dry it should be carefully
smoothed down with flour paper, the utmost caution being observed in
dealing with the sharp edges, or the carving will be spoiled. Then it is
embodied with polish again, and one coat of glaze applied with the
greatest care. A few hours should be allowed to harden, and then
finished off with a rubber slightly damped with thin polish. This is an
expensive method, but it will pay in appearance for all the time
bestowed.
For the best class of cabinet and pianoforte work in amboyna or
burr-walnut it is advisable not to use linseed-oil on the sole of the
rubber when polishing, but the best hog's lard; the reason for this is
that these veneers being so extremely thin and porous the oil will
quickly penetrate through to the groundwork, softening the glue, and
causing the veneers to rise in a number of small blisters. Of course,
this is not always the case, but the use of lard instead of oil will be
found a good preventative. Lard is also used on the above class of work
when it is desirable to preserve the colour of the wood in its natural
state.
The following method is employed for the best work: Immediately on
receiving the job from the cabinet-maker, a good coating of thin, clean
glue should be applied with a sponge or brush; this is allowed to dry,
and thoroughly harden; it is then cleaned off, using the scraper and
glass-paper, cutting it down to the wood. The bodying-in with white
polish is the next process, the usual sinking period being allowed; it
is again cleaned off, but the scraper this time should not quite reach
the wood. Then embody again, and treat in a like manner. In getting up
the permanent body, commence with a slight embodying; let this stand,
and when the sinking period is over rub it down with a felt rubber and
powdered pumice-stone; continue this several times, till the surface
presents a satisfactory appearance, and the job is ready for the
spiriting process. By this means the wood will retain its natural
colour, and a beautiful transparent polish will result, and remain for a
number of years. This also is an expensive process, but the result
cannot be obtained in any other way.
=Spiriting-off.=--Most polishers affirm that if an interval of at least
a couple of hours elapse between the final embodying and the
spiriting-off the brilliancy of the polish will be improved, and remain
harder and more durable. The spirit is applied in exactly the same way
as the polish, and the same rubber can be used, but it should be covered
with more than one fold of the soft linen rag; care should be taken not
to make it very wet, or the gum on the surface of the work will be
redissolved, and a dulness instead of a brilliancy will result. If the
spirit should be very strong, the rubber should be breathed upon before
using, and a little more oil taken up; some, however, prefer to mix a
little polish with the spirit, while others prefer the spirit to be
weakened by exposure to the air for a few hours; experience alone must
be the teacher in this particular; but if the spirit should not "bite,"
as it is termed, all will be well. The last rubber should be worked a
little longer than usual, and a trifle quicker, so as to remove the
slight greasy moisture on the surface.
The finishing touch is given to the work by a soft rag loosely rolled up
and just a few drops of spirit dropped upon it, applied quickly the way
of the grain. This will remove every defect, and leave it clear and
brilliant. If, in a short time after finishing, the polish becomes dull
or rough, it will be owing to too much oil being absorbed in the process
and working through the surface, combined with dust. It should be
cleaned off first with a soft cloth, damped with a little warm water,
and the whole repaired, as at first, with equal parts of polish and
spirits mixed together, using the least possible damp of oil to make it
finish clear; there is no danger of its happening again. In all cases
the work must be rubbed till quite dry, and when nearly so the pressure
may be increased.
The rubber for spiriting-off should be made up from a piece of old
flannel, and be covered with a piece of old rag. This is preferable to
very thin rag, and will give a better finish.
=Prepared Spirits.=--This preparation is useful for finishing, as it
adds to the lustre and durability, as well as removes every defect of
other polishes, and it gives the surface a most brilliant appearance.
It is made of half a pint of the very best rectified spirits of wine,
two drachms of shellac, and two drachms of gum benzoin. Put these
ingredients in a bottle and keep in a warm place till the gum is all
dissolved, shaking it frequently; when cold add two teaspoonfuls of the
best clear white poppy oil; shake them well together, and it is fit for
use.
=Antique Style.=--For mediæval or old English furniture a dull polish is
generally preferred to a French polish, because it has a gloss rather
than a brilliant polish, which materially assists in showing up
mouldings or carvings to the best advantage; it is also more in
character with the work of the Middle Ages. Another advantage is the
facility of obtaining a new polish (after being once done) should the
first one get tarnished, as the finishing process can be performed
without difficulty by any one, and a new polish obtained each time.
On receiving a job which is required to be done in this style, it should
be "filled-in" in the usual manner, and afterwards bodied with white
polish to a good extent; it is then left for a sinking period (say
twelve hours). The work is then carefully rubbed down with powdered
pumice-stone and a felt-covered block or rubber, and after well dusting
it is ready for finishing. The preparation used for this process is
mainly composed of bees'-wax and turpentine (see Wax Polish, page 87),
well rubbed in with a piece of felt or a woollen rag, and finished off
by rubbing briskly with a very soft cloth or an old handkerchief to
produce a gloss.
=Dull or Egg-shell Polish.=--This is another style of finishing for
mediæval work; the process is very simple. In commencing a job to be
finished in this style, the process of "filling-in" and "embodying" are
first gone through, then a sinking period is allowed, after which it is
embodied again, till the work is ready for finishing. All the parts
should be carefully examined to see if there is a good coating of polish
upon them. This is important, for if the work should be only thinly
coated it is liable to be spoiled by rubbing through in the last
process. After allowing a few hours for the surface to harden, a pounce
bag of powdered pumice-stone should be applied to the work, and a
felt-covered rubber used, rubbing down in the direction of the grain
until the work is of the desired dulness.
For the cheaper kind of work done in this style, the first process, of
course, is the filling-in; then a rubber of wadding is taken and used
without a cover, made rather sappy with polish and a few drops of oil
added; and after bodying-in with this sufficiently, the work should be
stood aside for twelve hours, then rubbed down with some fine worn
glass-paper. The embodying is then again commenced, a proper rubber and
cover being used; and when sufficient is put on, and while the surface
is still soft, the pounce above mentioned should be applied, and rubbed
down with a piece of wadding slightly moistened with linseed-oil until
the desired dulness appears. This is becoming the fashionable finish for
black walnut work.
=Polishing in the Lathe.=--The lathe is of more use to a polisher than a
great many persons outside the trade would imagine. By its aid turned
work can be finished in a most superior style, and in less time than by
hand. The articles usually done by the lathe are wood musical
instruments, such as clarionets, flutes, etc.; also cornice-poles, ends,
and mahogany rings, the latter being first placed in a hollow chuck and
the insides done, after which they are finished upon the outside on a
conical chuck. For table-legs, chair-legs, and all the turnery used in
the cabinet-work, it will be found of great advantage to finish the
turned parts before the work is put together.
Most of the best houses in the trade finish their work in this way,
where all the work is polished out entirely with the rubber. In the
first place, the filling-in is done. The band is thrown off the pulley
and the work rubbed in; at the same time the pulley is turned round by
the left hand. When this is done, the band is replaced and the work
cleaned off with rags or shavings, the lathe to be driven with speed to
get a clean surface. When applying the polish the lathe should revolve
with a very slow motion.
The rubbers best adapted for turned work are made of white wadding, as
the hollows and other intricacies can be completely finished out with a
soft rubber. The work should first receive a coating of thick shellac,
two parts by weight of shellac to one of methylated spirits, and applied
with a brush or a soft sponge; after a couple of hours this is nicely
smoothed with fine paper, and the "bodying-in" completed with the soft
rubber and thin polish. There are numerous hard woods which do not
require filling-in, amongst which may be mentioned boxwood, cocus,
ebony, etc.; these may be rapidly polished in the lathe, on account of
their texture, with the white polish. In spiriting-off a very soft piece
of chamois leather (if it is hard and creased it will scratch) should be
damped with methylated spirits, then wrung so that the spirit may be
equally diffused; the lathe should then be driven at a rapid speed, and
the leather held softly to the work. In a few minutes, if a dark wood, a
brilliant surface will be produced.