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Marc Wittman
03-04-2003, 4:21 PM
Hi all - I'm a former ponder, this is my first post on this board.

Anywho, I just picked up the latest Krenov book, "With Wakened Hands", which primarily showcases his students work. Many of his and his students pieces have a polish and wax finish. The was part I understand, but what exactly is the polish part?

Thanks in advance.
Dave Arbuckle
03-04-2003, 6:24 PM
"Polish" is British English for "Finish". I think, but would live through being corrected, that Krenov speaks British English.

Dave
Garrett Lambert
03-04-2003, 7:39 PM
I've been fooling around with a number of different "experiments", including some finishes. I've tried all of the usal, but the one I like most - so far - is a couple - or more - coats of wipe-on poly followed by a couple of coats of very well buffed wax. Provides a very nice, deep gloss and feels good, too.

Cheers, Garrett
Jim Izat
03-04-2003, 7:51 PM
Hey Marc,

From what I've read about Krenov, his philosophy on finishing (or polishing) is very minimalistic. To him many times waxing is all he does. I can't remember off hand ever reading about any final polish other than a coat of oil. Many times not even that. The wax he seems to prefer is <a href="http://www.claphams.com/polish_cdn_w.html">Claphams Beeswax Products</a>
Garrett Lambert
03-04-2003, 8:35 PM
I've been using Claphams for a couple of decades, primarily as a food-safe finish. A small container lasts forever, it smells good (honey), goes on easily, and so on. The only negative - if it is a negative - is that because it's so soft, it doesn't buff up to much of a gloss.

Cheers, Garrett
Paul Charlton
03-04-2003, 10:27 PM
In one of Krenov's previous books, The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking - pg. 54, his gives his formula for polish. It is a really thin cut of shellac.

His formula:
- buy a can of shellac and put 1/3 in a container
- add 2 parts by volume alcohol
- after a day of so mixture separates into clear and residue, carefully pour off the clear liquid
- add to this about one 1 part by volume of alcohol

He claims this is very thin and that putting it on is like putting pure alcohol on and it dries very quickly.

Hope this helps.