 Shalak, obviously one of the most versatile finishing products available to us today, has been around for thousands of years. It is a natural resin secreted by the LAK bug on certain trees in mainly India and Thailand. It is used in many industries including the textile, agricultural, pharmaceutical and of course wood finishing. Originally it was used as a dye, but since the mid 19th century has been used as a clear varnish. Unfortunately with the rise of synthetic resins it became less popular. However in recent years it has been used more and more. Shalak comes in several themes and variations. In its most unrefined form it is known as seedlack or buttonlack and has a deep red color. In its most refined form it is known as blonde and can be almost clear. Basically there are three shades of colors, garnet, orange and blonde. All of these are available in waxed or dewacked versions. Shalak can be sprayed, brushed or padded onto a surface. It is very durable and was even used on flooring in the past. Some of the pros are in its dewacked form it can go over or under any other finish. It is organic. You won't poison yourself or blow yourself up. No special equipment is needed to apply it. Thus it saves you money. You can purchase it pre-mixed and even get it in a sprayable recipe. It can be high gloss or rubbed out to a satin. For us luthiers it also has a total aspect in that it can be applied very thin so it is not to inhibit the total vibrations of the instrument. Depending on the color used it can be clear or add color to the wood. Shalak also touches up nicely, making instrument repairs easier. I use Shalak quite often in my shop and when I do I prefer to mix it myself from flakes. So let me show you how I do that. When mixing Shalak we use the term pound cut. For example a 1 pound cut would be 1 pound of flakes to 1 gallon of alcohol. A 2 pound cut would be 2 pounds of flakes to 1 gallon of alcohol. 3 pounds of flakes to 1 gallon of alcohol and therefore more concentrated. What I am going to do is show you how to mix a 1 pound cut. This is what I use in my shop for repairs and for finish work. If I were to mix 1 pound of flakes to 1 gallon of alcohol I would have more than I could use before it goes bad. So I am going to divide this proportions down and mix 1 ounce of flakes to 8 ounces of alcohol. This will give me a 1 pound cut in the proportions that I use in my shop. Here is a little trick to help your flakes dissolve quicker. Place them in a coffee grinder and grind them into a fine powder. I then place this mixture into a container that has liquid measurements written on the side. I then add 8 ounces of alcohol to the container. I then place the lid on and allow the mixture to dissolve. This could take a day or two. If you put it in the coffee grinder sometimes it takes a little less. You want to make sure it is all dissolved before you work it. I also like to write some information on the bottle. First of all the pound cut, the flavor and the date. That way I know how fresh the shellac is. You will notice that I am using pure grain alcohol to mix my shellac flakes. There are some reasons for that. One is not poisonous. D-natured alcohol gives me a headache. So I don't even like it in my shop. Second, if there happens to be any wax in your flakes a certain amount of that may dissolve into the D-natured alcohol giving you a softer finish. And third, the grain alcohol flashes off quicker. And for my method of French polish this allows me to get a quicker build. This shellac has dissolved. I like to filter it before I use it. Once mixed your shellac has a shell fly. And here is how you can tell if it is gone bad. Place a little bit onto a hard surface like a mirror, a tile, a CD, anything like that. And let it sit overnight. Come back the next morning from your fingernail into it from your thumb. If it is gummy it is gone bad. If it flakes off it is dried, it is hard, it is good enough to use. Now I almost never throw out shellac in my shop. Even the stuff that is gone bad, I will use it for wash coats and things that I know that is going to be taken off the guitar later. Shellac, a very versatile and often overlooked finish. Next time you need to finish your instrument, keep shellac on your list of possibilities.