Simple French Polishing

Southland Times, Issue 21578, 16 December 1931, Page 12

Simple French Polishing

(By Request).

French polishing is not, as is generally supposed, a highly specialised process. It does, however, require a good deal of perseverance and patience, as it is of necessity a slow job. The amateur cannot expect to produce the perfect finishes seen on pianos, high-class furniture, etc., but he can, with some practice, make a reasonably good job. All the materials can be purchased ready for use, thus avoiding the rather difficult job of mixing the polishes and filling. Hard woods such as mahogany, walnut and oak are usually polished. The surface must be perfectly smooth and clean, and, above all, dry. If the grain of the wood is coarse or open it will require filling before polishing. The filling, which can be bought ready for use, should be rubbed well into the grain of the wood, the surface afterwards being smooth with very fine glasspaper. The wood can be left its natural colour, or stained darker if desired, before polishing. The actual polishing is now commenced. A pad or “rubber” is made by folding a piece of flannel or similar material into a thick pad of convenient size. The polish is poured over this until it is well soaked. The pad is then covered with two thicknesses of clean linen. The pad is then rubbed over the work in a circular motion, keeping an even and steady pressure; commencing at one end of the surface and proceeding to the other.

It will be found that the “rubber” has a tendency to stick to the surface; this is overcome by putting a spot of raw linseed oil on the surface of the “rubber”: just a touch with the tip of the finger is quite sufficient. The work is rubbed over and over again in this fanner, replenishing the polish in the paa as it gets used up. It will be seen that the grain of the wood gradually fills up and that the polish begins to “lie on” the surface. The finishing process is then commenced. This is known as "spiriting off.” A little rectified spirits of wine is added to the polish in the “rubber” a’nd the work polished as before. More spirits of wine and less polish are gradually used

until, for the final rub over, all spirits and n'o polish are used. Old french-polished surfaces can be revived by rubbing them over, in the same manner as polishing, with a solution made as follows: One ounce of vinegar and half an ounce of linseed oil mixed in two ounces of spirits of wine.