What exactly is "shellac" ?

[IndyFalco]

I've heard it mentioned before. I know it gives a very nice "glaze" look on the whips, but what is it?

and where can you purchase it?

[BullWhipBorton]

Traditionally it’s a type of natural resin that is produced from a tropical insect. It’s processed and dissolved in alcohol to make a thin varnish. You’ve probably seen it used on wood items before, but it works well on leather too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shellac

You can find it online, higher end woodworking shops will carry it too. know Murphywhips.com sells it specifically for whips too.

Dan

[stealthboy]

and where can you purchase it?

I bought a can of it at a local Lowe's for a few bucks.

[louiefoxx]

I get me shellac premixed in a can at lowes, but it's too thick and I thin it down a bit.

You can get the flakes from Rockler woodworking, I thinkt they are a national chain. They have a nice little shallac kit that has a jar to mix it in. Mike Murphy also sells the flakes but Rocker has better mixing instructions.

xoxo

Louie
http://bullwhips.org

[TurnerME]

Here are a couple of links.

http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductId=31

http://www.woodcraft.com/search/search. ... ry=shellac


Zinsser is available at Lowes and Home Depot.

[IndyFalco]

Thank you so much you guys. I definitely got help from the PRO's !!!

I have another question, does shellac cause any damages to a whip if you use to much?

Do you consistently apply a coat of it as time wares on?

Does shellac do the same as pecards ?

[Canuck Digger]

I couldn't believe how great shellac was until I tried it! I got the natural flakes from a woodshop here in town and it is so easy to use! What's great about it (or frustrating depending) is that you can re-apply another coat and it will partially disolve the previous one, making blending coats possible. I think it's eadier to use on leather than on wood though, or so I've been told. Great stuff. Amazing to think where it comes from though...

[louiefoxx]

I don't think too much shellac would damage a whip...that is if it's just a bit more than you would normally use. If you soaked the whip in a vat of shellac for a week it might do some damage. but if you are just brushing it one it shouldn't be much of concern.

David Morgan's book Whips and Whipmaking talks about how he applies the shellac using a bush that's "not fully loaded" or something along those lines.

As I understand it what shellac does is it gives a glossy coat to your whip. This glossy coat is porous so that dressing can penetrate it (unlike a lot of leather glosses).

So Shellac makes the whip look pretty, while dressing keeps the whip from drying out.

hope that helps,

Louie


http://bullwhips.org

[stealthboy]

Do you consistently apply a coat of it as time wares on?

Does shellac do the same as pecards ?

Over time and use I'm sure most of it will come off, so you can apply more, but I would NOT use it as frequently as you would Pecards. Shellac is like a glossy coating, and does not work its way into the leather like a Pecards dressing does, so if you keep applying coats, it'll build up!

On the few whips I've made so far I put two light coats of shellac on and think it looks great; another coat or two and I think it would be too think a coating. Just my humble opinion.

[IndyFalco]

Thank you guys. You've given me a full comprehension on what I needed to know.