Shellac as a finish

[ctubbs]

I have not yet tried shellac on pens. There is all kinds of info here but I have been unable to locate much about Shellac. Will it work? How does it hold up? What are its advantages/disadvanatages compared to other finishes?

Thank you from newby.

 

[DCBluesman]

Shellac is a beautiful finish but not particularly well suited to pens. Oils, dirt and grime from our hands and our workplaces stress finishes to the max.

 

[MAB11]

I made a FP from 1/3 clear shellac, 1/3 DA, 1/3 BLO. I apply about 7 or 8 thin coats on the lathe and top it off with a little bees wax. I think it's a pretty nice finish. Time will tell how it holds up.

 

[JimMc7]

Myland's Friction Polish is shellac based so you can find some discussion of that. Advantages are easy to apply and you can quickly get a reasonably glossy finish. Disadvantage is the finish doesn't last very long in everyday use.

 

[ctubbs]

Thank you all. I knew there had to be a good reason to avoid that beautiful finish. For once I did learn from others errors. It sure is much easier that way. If only all my mistakes were that easy. Again, thank you.

 

[Grizz]

Will not hold up although it can be a pretty finish. I use Shellac mostly as an undercoat/sealer on bowls and Hollow Forms. But never on pens.

 

[bradh]

Here is a new vs 2 year old pen (same pen) to show the darkening of the finish with shellac and wax finish. The finish darkens and it always seems slightly tacky, even after 2 years.
I did this once and will never use the finish on a pen again.

 

[RussFairfield]

Here is my comparison of several pen finishes, including shellac. It is generally down at the bottom of the hardness scale just above bare wood and wax. http://www.woodturner-russ.com/FSOriginal4.html

Shellac can be a very durable finish and has been used for centuries on violins, but the time and effort involved is much more than anyone would ever put into a pen.