The Art of French Polishing.
Bodying up
This middle phase is where we commence to build up the layers of shellac to the finished product. Before commencing this bodying up phase we scuff sand the guitar and are careful to remove any lumps or build up of pumice that may be left on the surface. We do not want pumice on the surface of the wood, we only want it in the grain pores. By this stage the pad you have been using is most likely worn out and possibly depositing lint occassionally, It will also be stained if you have been filling dark timbers like rosewood. Time to replace it. It always amazes me when I read articles about the polisher having a favourite pad that he keeps seemingly for ever. Mine wear out constantly and rapidly. I also prefer new pads, they seem to polish better and smoother.
Always start with the top of the guitar and the new pad.
Fill the pad with the shellac mixture but be carefull not to make the pad wet. It should only be damp so that when you squeeze it onto the back of your hand it makes a mark, not leaves it wet. I start every session with the pad moving in straight lines rather than circles. I do this just in case the pad is too wet and also to make use of the damp pad to ensure adequate adhesion to the previous layer. To ensure that the new layer will bond properly to the previous layer, it is best if the pad is not too dry. We want the new layer to "etch" into the old layer and ensure that the layers become one. If you are using oil then it is essential to use great pressure to ensure that the oil is "pushed" out of the way so the shellac will melt into the previous layer. I have found this almost impossible to do with such a delicate instrument as a guitar. This is why I do not polish with oil. If I am polishing something like a table where I can use great pressure I will use oil if I feel it is necessary. After covering the whole area I am working on with straight lines, I begin working in circles, paying special attention to the edges and any corners, the centre areas will take care of themselves. If the pad grabs at all, makes sure the covering of the pad is wrapped tightly around the internal padding and not loose. If the surface is loose, it can cause the pad to grab and this will mark the surface and require you to do extra work in that area to remove the marks.
I generally work on the front and one side first and then set the guitar aside for an hour or so. Then I return to the guitar and do the back and the other side and the neck and headstock. I then hang the guitar up to dry for a couple of hours before scuff sanding and repeating the whole process. When satisfied with the amount of polish I have on the guitar I will block sand it well to make sure it is flat and then polish it again for another session.
At any stage you feel the preparation is not going well, or a few pore marks show up, do not be afraid to use the pumice again. Use it sparingly, but it is a great tool also for flattening the surface if you are getting ridges or swirl marks that you cannot cover with polish. It is possible to fill any large pores with super glue if necessary. Just use a sharp object to get it into the pore and leave to dry and then sand flat and apply more polish over the top.
The final stage of polishing
The final stage is really more of the same, just proceed with another block sand and application of dilute polish. The important difference is that I now limit the polishing to straight lines or large figure eights, no small circles or these will be visible in the final product. All I am trying to achieve now is the final gloss and smoothness. I start with the pad damp but not wet, and from now on I only top up the pad with alcohol, no more shellac is added it there is a good body built up already. I am not trying to add more finish, just smooth and shine the body of shellac that is already there. Finish by putting the guitar aside again for a couple of days to let it start the hardening process. When it is completely dry and much harder, in a couple of weeks, I give the guitar a final sand with 0000 steel wool with wax as a lubricant. If I need anything more agressive I will use automotive cutting compound.
Final Polish.
The french polished guitar is now pretty much complete and should be as close to perfect as possible. All that remains is to give the guitar a final polish. For this I use another automotive product. This one is called a glaze, which is basically a synthetic polymer, not a wax or a polish with silicon. The polymer gives a final gloss to the french polish and leaves a silky smooth feel to the surface. It does not react to the shellac and does not build up like wax. Waxes do not feel good under the hands, especially on the neck of the guitar.
Care and maintenance.
The guitar should need little in the way of care and maintenance as long as it is looked after and not abused. Just polish it occassionally with the glaze. Wipe the guitar down after using it and the finish will last for many years. On new guitars, the back may become marked where it rests against the body. This is something that mainly happens to newly polished instruments but is easily repaired. Avoid polishes and cleaners that contain silicon.
There you have it, an enviromentally friendly finish that will last for years and is unbeatable acoustically and visually. This is a traditional French Polish, not a sprayed finish and certainly not one applied over epoxy or similar products.
