alcohol to remove shelac?

Texas Raider · Post by **Texas Raider** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:58 am

Heyo! Just curious, how about 90% alcohol to take the shelac off of a whip? (please refrain from the 'just use it,it'll come off' comments ;-) , i'm no newbie with the whips). I'm not a shelac fan, but it seems the makers these days all shelac 'em! Even with use, it takes a long time for it to 'flake' off of the handle and upper thong. I'm kinda wantin' to get rid of it sooner. Of course I'd follow up with Pecards or Letaps to keep the leather from drying...

TR

minstrel · Post by **minstrel** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:19 am

I think Methanol would work better, since it's actually used as a shellac solvent.

Just my 2 cents.

/Nicholas

bernie47 · Post by **bernie47** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:44 am

Alcohol is best I think. I don't use it on my whips because of the reason you have stated. Alcohol is used here in Australia as far as I know to make it up.I've used it for French polishing in the past and used metholated spirits which is a denatured alcohol. I use a 50/50 mix of a leather laquer called Neat Lac and metholated spirits which will impart a soft sheen to the leather and just wears away naturally without flaking. I personally think that leather should look like leather and not shiny plastic. Had my anti shellac rant for the day.
Kind Regards
Bernie

WhipDude · Post by **WhipDude** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 1:43 pm

Not for the sake for arguing but, why didn't you just request no shellac when you ordered your whip? Or was it bought used from somebody else with it already on?

louiefoxx · Post by **louiefoxx** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:44 pm

personally I think that shellac gives the bullwhip a very "finished" look.

Right now I'm making a pair of stockwhips for myself, they both have natural tan thongs. One whip is completly finished and shellac'd and the other has a completed thong, but not handle yet. Holding the thongs side by side you really notice the difference between the two. I like the shellac'd better, but then I'm easily distracted by shiny things.

Also my shellac techique has gotten much better recently thanks to some advice from another whipmaker!

xoxo

Louie
http://bullwhips.org

Texas Raider · Post by **Texas Raider** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 2:41 am

I bought them new, requested no shelac on one, but the maker didn't want to do it. The other maker, I didn't request it, but their shelacing is a bit more subtle, so I don't mind it as much.

TR