Shellac as colour preserver

[Palakona123]

Hi,

I am refinishing a couple of old salmon rods. I have used shellac on the threads as colour preserver. On a light shade of red it lookes really good, a half translucent colour, but not clear and not the nylon / plastic look I often get from the usual CP. When I used it on a darker shade it doesn’t look good at all, it turns black, not just slightly darker. If I use a really thick half dried mix it looks good, but I cannot do that on a whole rod. What should I expect from the shellac as a CP? Should I use one thick coat or multiple thin ones? Any innput is appreciated.

[canerodscom]

Multiple thin coats are almost always better.


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[MGrallert]

I've had great results with alcohol/shellac one coat 75/25 one coat 50/50/ one coat 25/75 and a final coat of 100 shellac It's been a few years but that what I recall.
M

[DonT]

Several thin coats are always better. You want it thin enough to penetrate around and under the threads and to seal the tunnel. I have used blonde shellac on the "java" colored thread such as is used on Paynes without it darkening the threads radically, not nearly as much as flex coat would. Keep experimenting on test wraps is about all I can say. Good luck

[eastprong]

First, you are better off using dewaxed shellac rather than the stuff that Zinsser sells in the cans, which contains a "wax", which isn't a real wax but an impurity. Shellac with wax in it can give you adhesion problems when you varnish over top, according to the woodworking books. Many folks report good results with the waxy shellac, but I don't like to chance it. I mix from flakes to a 2 lb. cut, which is essentially 1 part flakes to 4 parts alcohol, measured in ounces. (The "pound cut" definition is the pounds of dry shellac in a gallon of alcohol.)

Also, if you make your shellac from dewaxed flakes you are guaranteed it's fresh (shellac has a shelf life). Finally, there are lots of shades of shellac available in flakes and they will definitely affect the final result. I tend to use the really light stuff on wraps ("platina") as it affects the color the least. See the shades here:
https://www.shellac.net/dewaxed_shellac.html

Zinsser sells two shade of the waxy shellac: Clear (which to me looks like blonde on the scale shown in the link) and Amber, which is orange shellac.

Dilution with alcohol will also affect the color to a small degree. More dilution = lighter color.

There's one more option. Zinsser sells something called Sanding Sealer that is essentially their clear shellac that is dewaxed, I believe it is a 2lb. cut. But it only comes in quart cans so it will degrade before you use much of the quart.

What type and shade did you use on the red wraps?

--Rich

[Palakona123]

Thanks for all the replies. I use dewaxed flakes that is the clearest I can get. I just can’t see how this shellac should work. As you all say multiple thin coats is the best, and that is always what I have thought, but it turns black.... I can use a very thick mix that don’t soak into the whippings, but I guess that will flake off after a while. Wonder what they originaly used / how they did it back in they days. The thread is identical in colour as the original. Could it have anything with the quality and how the thread is twisted?

Here is a picture with two (same brand and thickness) shades of silk. It is the darkest shade that is correct for the rod.

[kilgore]

Did the same thing as you in your last post with all my silk threads. Some came out too dark and some came out really with sweet colors.

[DonT]

You have way, way too much shellac on there. Yes you are right, you really don't want a thick non penetrating layer, that's likely going to cause problems later and won't look very good. If you have some DNA, thin the stuff you are using way down, like at least 1 to 1 and try just a couple very thin coats wicked on with a bodkin or toothpick, not painted on. You want the thread structure still showing when you coat with varnish, you don't need a large buildup of shellac. I'll try to get a couple pics this weekend to demonstrate.

[bluesjay]

Hi Guys, I use thinned shellac, usually two coats both of which I wipe off with my finger. All I want to do is 'set' the color, not put a finish of any sort on the wraps.

Jay Edwards

[Palakona123]

I have decided to cut down what I have done and start over again with a lighter shade of red. I have tried the usual thin coats, but it won’t do. The picture shows two test pices, and the whippings are coated with oil varnish over the dried shellac to give an impression of the final result, which was not very good. Some times I just have to try to find out. A bit annoying since I buy the threads from the US and I live in Scandinavia.....