French Polishing Antique Boxes

Learn techniques to bring old boxes back to life through the art of french polishing using the rubber.

[@kevingeaney7741]

I have done a bit of France polishing many years ago and I have another bit to do now, so this was a very valuable refresher course . Well done. Thanks.

[@kjza992]

very nice!

[@Carmelobri1]

Very helpful thanks. Explained everything very well. Patience is what we need for French polishing and you have it in spades. Well done 👍

[@nickycurwood4581]

Thank you for this. Always struggled with French polish sticking, the oil is such a good tip, can't wait to try it.

[@theoldquarrywoodshop7131]

Your welcome. Only a very small amount of oil which needs to be taken out at the end of polishing. If you get an orange peel effect you have to much oil. Happy polishing.

[@fredbloggs4829]

Really enjoyed this. Thanks for taking the time to explain.

[@lazzalazza3059]

Thank you for this knowledge.

[@GROFOOPERS]

Very detailed instructions, it came out beautiful! More, please!

[@theoldquarrywoodshop7131]

Thank You. More on the way!

[@TobiasSebastien]

Thank you for the video, I am still struggling to get a good result but I think this helped

[@derekthomley6809]

A terrific video,very informative ,many thanks Derek.

[@eltomas3634]

Well done on the project and the video, I thoroughly enjoyed all of it. Clearly, your methods and practices work well, you have the results to prove it. It's amusing how some in the comments say you have it all wrong, yet somehow you've arrived with an excellent end result. As we yanks say, there's more than one way to skin a cat. I can imagine a long list of modified ingredients and procedures on this basic method and having many successful outcomes, it's not an exact method, it has lots of flexibility. Cheers to your success!

[@theoldquarrywoodshop7131]

Thank you. Appreciate the positive comments. There will always be trolls who will never show there own results. I was taught by a French polisher who worked in the trade for fifty years.

[@christinascherer2868]

Beautiful, thank you

[@ghanova]

Very good and very helpful, thank you

[@robchallis2423]

Really great work-I learned a lot. Thank you. Rob UK

[@theoldquarrywoodshop7131]

Thank you Rob.

[@stephenfewson7188]

Thats the sexiest thing ive watched all year!! Stunning result's, thanks mate. G'day from Australia 🇦🇺

[@DrGarri]

For a real quality job, no wood pore should be seen, in both boxes you can see them all over the place. Eliminate the mineral oil (or olive oil) and give them rub after rub, letting them dry, then rub them again and again, until all pores disappear, THEN it will really look like a mirror.

[@henrysiegertsz8204]

I use a Rubbing Pad and Boiled Linseed, stunning results even in open grain materials like Oak and Ash! Doing and Oak and Purpleheart box right now!

[@lass-inangeles7564]

@@henrysiegertsz8204 Could you please explain this further? You do a French polish using only Boiled Linseed Oil? I use this all the time to condition wood. I never knew it could be polished to such a shine!

[@finbarstadt7213]

A quality finish doesn't always have to be a mirror finish - it depends on the wood and its grain and pore structure. Using grain filler isn't always appropriate. I personally don't use mineral oil, preferring to slacken the French polish with meths. It requires more coats but the finish has always been first rate.

[@Banzai431]

You have a good eye. That second box definitely needed that gloss knocked back to a satin sheen.

[@theoldquarrywoodshop7131]

Thank you.

[@nutmegct]

Bravo on the details! Did you ever try using the polish with alcohol instead of the mineral oil? I'd think the alcohol would help soften and "mix" the old and new finish.

[@hffurniturebespokeoakrepro9363]

I don't use oil. You'll find using old pyjama rag is softer and better than linin.

[@gbwildlifeuk8269]

You mean cotton or fleece type material?

[@hffurniturebespokeoakrepro9363]

gbwildlife uk I always use old pyjamas. Very soft. I feel cotton can pull. Personally that is 👍

[@lass-inangeles7564]

LINEN is fabric. LININ has to do with the nuclei of cells.

[@johntaylor1359]

Abso superb

[@manuelbarreto6333]

Dear sir, my hobby is the lathe, I use the doll made of nightgowns with enough use and I charge it from the outside, but leave the marks on the finish, I should use another kind of fabric or that I do wrong. Thanks a lot.

[@lemon0751]

Hi thank you for your superb information. I found an old box in the attic and it was looking a bit worse for wear so decided to give it some treatment. I have got it now rubbed down and ready for french polishing.It has some small cracks on the top face these are less than 1mm wide . Is it worth trying to fill them in with a shellac stick or just flood them with french polish until the cracks are filled after a few coats with the brush ? There is a slightly deeper crack on the side that i will do with the shellac stick then sand down to blend before french polishing.Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[@theoldquarrywoodshop7131]

If you can get your finger nail into the crack you should definitely fill it.

[@johnwright7533]

Hi great video I’ve learned a lot. I’m about to try and renovates a Victorian cutlery box for my son. Can you advise me if I use the same procedure on the box lid it has marquetry on the top? Look forward to your reply. Regards John Wright Derbyshire.

[@theoldquarrywoodshop7131]

Hi John, on the whole I do use the same procedure when polishing small amounts of inlay on a box lid. I have also used a blonde shellac on larger areas of marquetry pictures because they are the main focus and need to be clear. If you are not happy with the results it is easy enough to take off and try something else. I hope all goes well on the cutlery box and will be sure your son will love it.

[@Leroyy536]

Did you grain fill first

[@monroeautobody1971]

The surface needed to be sanded level with 400 grit down to 1000 grit before you polished and waxed, uneven surface even though the final level of sheen is very good.

[@fiesalalawar7796]

My friend, is the polish colorless and we have to add colorant, or we buy it already coloured?

[@theoldquarrywoodshop7131]

You can buy both clear and brown. I am using the brown for this project.

[@fiesalalawar7796]

The Old Quarry Woodshop Thax my fruend.

[@davidemarchi6366]

no...it is not pore filled correctly. You can see all the wood lines that does not reflect the light in a straight line.

[@elandreso2709]

Your right, he's doing badly.

[@phantomcreamer]

I can't seem to finish the polishing without dull streak marks left behind. I tried using less DNA and it seems to stick more. I tried using more oil and that didn't help. I tried using more DNA and that dissolves the previous coats. How do you get that final polish where you can call it quits? This is so frustrating. When I start out a new session, it works fine, but as I work it out and start burnishing, the dull marks start to be left behind.

[@frankphillips6001]

Same exact thing happens to me. What I finally ended up doing was brushing on several layers and polishing with pumice then rotten stone. The results are quite good, though I haven't achieved a perfect "glass" finish.

[@phantomcreamer]

@@frankphillips6001 I found out I was softening the layers up with too much DNA making it sticky and using not enough oil

[@theoldquarrywoodshop7131]

phantomcreamer Hi, it can take a while to work out the best combination of liquids to get the best results. Try practice boards. If you buy the polish ready mixed then do not add DNA (Meths) through any of the polishing. Small amounts are only added to the rubber at the end to remove oil and then it is in strokes across the piece not rubbing.

[@fscott1134]

What the hell is ‘button polish’? This video goes all over the world you know!

[@cops1987]

Hi there, I really hope you can help me with that .. it’s months I’m trying with no results. How to make it like a mirror on a 0.6mm veneer with deep pores/veins? Thanks, Iacopo

[@theoldquarrywoodshop7131]

Use a grain filler then sand flat prior to polishing.

[@chuckfarlie6133]

@34:47 is the black shoe polish?

[@theoldquarrywoodshop7131]

CHUCK Farlie it is not shoe polish but a black polish that was made by a french polisher who sadly is no longer with us and there fore last of the stock. I will need to source more at a later date myself.

[@lass-inangeles7564]

I'm glad you asked. I was curious too.

[@pheart2381]

Youve completely removed its beautiful aged patina.

[@Cinnerman87]

I have a bush ac34 Valve radio cabinet that needs re polishing how much do you charge

[@theoldquarrywoodshop7131]

Sorry but this just a hobby and I do not do commissions. Thank you

[@chrisjpotter]

It's like watching American instructional videos, you find yourself screaming "Get on with it FFS!"

[@lass-inangeles7564]

I think the Brits are more verbose, ha, ha, ha! I had to speed this one up to a 2 and still click ahead.

[@lass-inangeles7564]

Thank you! Great video but you need to shorten it and not ramble about sheets and stuff. Keep it brief. Thanks for sharing such valuable knowledge. Subscribed. The boxes had a lovely gleam to them. I have always wanted to try this technique and finally have two wood boxes to try out. My questions: Did the boxes have any existing finish on them before the polish? Did you use any oil to condition the wood first?? I guess French polish is a type of waxy finish that is buffed to high gloss? Can I use it on an antique micromosaic box with mosaic of wood, shell, bone, ivory all around? If I sand it smooth, it should not be an issue, right? I have to restore some 'Sadeli mosaic boxes' (see pics online) and need to find special mosaic replacement supplies. This is a vintage item made in India. Still being manufactured in India, Syria, Shiraz in Iran. Do you know any suppliers of this mosaic? Very hard to locate. Maybe you know suppliers or can ask your sources in the trade. It would be wonderful to get hold of some.

[@LeePullen-zo8oy]

I nearly fell asleep 5 times yawn yawn yawn

[@elandreso2709]

He's doing badly. Don't do circles, just one past in one direction, don't repeat until it is dry.