# Rubbing lacquer



## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

Anyone rubbed lacquer to dull the finish? I have never done a rub finish, it is always lay it on.... What are your experience with it?


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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

I have, its called french polish. You take powdered pumice and put it in cheesecloth or a loose knit rag, like a small bag of money. Then squirt some sort of oil, can't remember what kind I used, then start rubbing out the lacquer. The pumice will leach out and start polishing the lacquer to a baby butt smooth finish. It was for a mortise and tenon table I built in college, woodworking 101. I had a customer lacquer the table, then I polished it out.


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## doctors11 (May 17, 2010)

There should be some good info here somewhere...

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rubbing+out+a+lacquer+finish


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

There are hand rubbed dull lacquers that will produce that dull finish you are looking for without rubbing


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

I applied a satin finsh and the customer wants me to dull it down.... i don't really want to respary it... thought I could just dull it by rubbing it.
@doctors11 Im sure there are, just want the latest thoughts on it.. thanks for your help


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## doctors11 (May 17, 2010)

I wish I had experience on this. Please let us know what you find out. I've heard some finishers use brown paper bags to "rub out" the final coat after it dries. It kills the dust nibs and softens the sheen. Maybe make up a test piece and try it out.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

MikeCalifornia said:


> I have, its called french polish. You take powdered pumice and put it in cheesecloth or a loose knit rag, like a small bag of money. Then squirt some sort of oil, can't remember what kind I used, then start rubbing out the lacquer. The pumice will leach out and start polishing the lacquer to a baby butt smooth finish. It was for a mortise and tenon table I built in college, woodworking 101. I had a customer lacquer the table, then I polished it out.


French Polish is done with shellac, not lacquer.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

ewingpainting.net said:


> Anyone rubbed lacquer to dull the finish? I have never done a rub finish, it is always lay it on.... What are your experience with it?


I think the easiest is a Scotch pad, probably start with gray, and soapy water.


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## eews (Apr 18, 2007)

brown paper, or even the back of a sandpaper sheet ( the non-grit side) will help smooth out nibs, but it really doesn't reduce the sheen


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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

Gough said:


> French Polish is done with shellac, not lacquer.


Whatever...this is the process I used to dull rub lacquer, my buddy a cabinet maker for 30+ years showed me how to do it. Sorry for using the wrong terminology as it did answer the OP question.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

MikeCalifornia said:


> Whatever...this is the process I used to dull rub lacquer, my buddy a cabinet maker for 30+ years showed me how to do it. Sorry for using the wrong terminology as it did answer the OP question.


Not a problem. French Polish is just a lot more complicated. It's a way to build a high-gloss finish by using a pad to apply many thin coats of shellac.

Rubbing out oil varnishes and lacquer can be done as you described, typically with a pad dipped in paraffin oil and sprinkled with pumice or rottenstone.


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## soperfect paint (Aug 25, 2015)

Yes,it is called french polish and it is very tough to paint with this.


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

We're just going to rub it, thanks guys


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## jacob33 (Jun 2, 2009)

We have done it with steel wool. A lumber yard in town sells a product that we apply to the steel wool and than buff/rub it out. It gives a real nice look and is super smooth.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

jacob33 said:


> We have done it with steel wool. A lumber yard in town sells a product that we apply to the steel wool and than buff/rub it out. It gives a real nice look and is super smooth.


Wool Lube?

http://www.shopwoodrepairproducts.com/wool-luberubbinglubricantliquidpt.aspx

That's what we've used, especially when we use shellac burn-in sticks.


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## ewingpainting.net (Jun 2, 2008)

We ended up wet sanding wotva 1000 grit and polishing with polishing wax..


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