Traditional high-gloss finish based on natural resin.
Natural shellac contains <5% wax; Lemon 4-5%; TN Gold contains 2-3% wax;
Purified and dewaxed shellac contains <0.2% wax: Orange, Ruby, Garnet and Platinum contain a maximum of 0.2% wax; they offer additional hardness and resistance to humidity, are more transparent and suitable for finishing stringed musical instruments; they guarantee better adhesion and better compatibility with most substrates; ideal as a multi-purpose primer for varnishes and resins, it is an excellent mold release agent and pore filler for all porous substrates. Dewaxed shellac has a higher density and requires up to 72 hours to dissolve; heating the mixture will dilute it better and faster.
We suggest diluting shellac in a ratio of 200-250g per 1L of pure alcohol (we DO NOT suggest 96º ethanol or lower). The perfect choice would be 99.9% as methanol, isopropanol, propanol or butanol. To facilitate the polishing process and improve the properties of the varnish and additional shine, the addition of 5% gum benzoin is recommended; the addition of 10% sandarac gum is recommended to enhance shine and harden the varnish; 20% sandarac in the preparation of traditional shellac-based pore filler “shellac sanding sealer”; the addition of 10-50% butanol facilitates handling, with a retarding effect prolonging working/drying time. Color can be adjusted with alcohol-based aniline dyes.
