{"title":"Shellac Flakes — Dewaxed","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDewaxed flake — the modern grade, the right tool when another finish is going on top.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDewaxed shellac is a twentieth-century development. Most shellac sold today is dewaxed flake; it is the dominant commercial form, and there are good reasons for that. The wax that occurs naturally in every form of unrefined shellac — five to six percent of the resin by weight — is removed by solvent processing, leaving behind a clearer, paler, more chemically predictable material. The flakes are thin and almost glassy. Held to the light, they let it through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat dewaxing buys the finisher is compatibility. The natural wax in button lac and seedlac is part of what makes those grades behave the way they do under their own film — but it is also what makes wax-containing shellac an unreliable foundation for certain modern topcoats. Dewaxed solves that. It is the grade to reach for when polyurethane is going on top, when a lacquer or modern varnish is the final film, when the shellac's job is to seal, prime, and step out of the way. It is also the grade French polishers reach for when they need the wood's own color to come through cleanly — on maple, on spruce, on a pale instrument top where the warm cast of a wax-containing shellac would shift the tone too far.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThat is the shellac on this page.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat dewaxing does, and what it doesn't\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSolvent dewaxing dissolves out the natural wax that sits inside the resin as a self-assembled nanostructure. The wax is not chemically bonded to the shellac; it is dispersed through it, and a suitable solvent step removes most of it. What is left is the resin alone — the polyhydroxy esters that do the work of a shellac film.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe film a dewaxed shellac forms is clearer in the bottle and clearer on the wood. It dissolves cleanly in alcohol, without the cloudiness that wax-containing grades produce. It accepts a polyurethane or modern varnish topcoat without the adhesion problems that wax-containing shellac under poly can produce. None of this makes dewaxed \u003cem\u003ebetter\u003c\/em\u003e than the wax-containing forms — different shellacs answer different questions. It makes dewaxed the correct answer to a specific set of questions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA practical note worth keeping in mind: dewaxed grades are susceptible to blocking in heat and humidity. The flakes can fuse in the bag if stored warm. Wax-containing shellacs are forgiving on this front year-round; dewaxed is best ordered November through February, when shipping weather is cool.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho uses it\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrench polishers working on pale-toned woods — maple, spruce, holly, sycamore, and the soundboards of guitars and violins where the wood's own brightness is the point. A wax-containing shellac warms the surface in a way that is right on mahogany and wrong on a spruce top.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFinishers using shellac as a sealer under polyurethane, lacquer, or modern varnish. Shellac is the universal sealer the trade has used for a century — but the wax in unrefined grades is the one variable that can compromise the bond. Dewaxed removes it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAntique restorers who need a transitional coat between dissimilar finishes — an old oil finish under a new film, a stained surface under a clear topcoat, a repair that has to sit between two materials that would otherwise not get along. Dewaxed is the bridge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eConservators and museum technicians who need a reversible, predictable, neutral-toned film. Reversibility is foundational for conservation work — a damaged shellac finish can be re-dissolved with alcohol and re-coated, which is exactly the property an institutional context requires.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eInstrument makers and repair shops sealing porous woods before lacquer, or applying a French polish where the tonal cast must stay true to the wood.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eThe varieties we carry\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEight grades, arranged here from the lightest and most transparent through to a deep brownish red. Each is dewaxed flake, sourced direct, refined to commercial standards we have verified against the supplier's specifications.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlatina\u003c\/strong\u003e — the most transparent shellac we carry. Ultra-pale, almost colorless on the wood. Holds the light tones of maple, spruce, and pale figured woods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuper Pale Platina\u003c\/strong\u003e — a step warmer than Platina, still in the platinum-blonde range. Useful where Platina reads too cold and a touch of warmth is wanted without crossing into amber.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSuper Blonde\u003c\/strong\u003e — very pale with a slight warm golden tone. The grade French polishers reach for when the wood should still read pale but a hint of warmth belongs in the film.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlonde\u003c\/strong\u003e — a clean light amber. A workhorse for finishers who want dewaxed compatibility and a soft warm cast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBeige\u003c\/strong\u003e — neutral medium amber. Sits between the blondes and the warmer ambers; useful when the surface should not declare itself in either direction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLemon\u003c\/strong\u003e — a clean yellow tone. Develops a lively golden cast on light woods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrange \/ Amber\u003c\/strong\u003e — rich yellow-orange. The amber-toned dewaxed grade, useful as a seal coat where some color is wanted under a clear topcoat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGarnet\u003c\/strong\u003e — deep brownish red. The darkest dewaxed grade we carry; excellent on cherry, mahogany, rosewood, and antique reproductions where the dewaxed compatibility matters but the color register calls for depth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe right grade is the one that matches the wood, the topcoat, and the practitioner's read of the piece. If you would like a recommendation for a specific job, an email or a phone call will get you a real answer from someone who knows the material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eReference: the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/pound-cut-chart\"\u003epound cut chart\u003c\/a\u003e — dry weight of flake per gallon, quart, and pint at the common working cuts.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBrowse the grades below.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"dewaxed-beige-shellac-flake","title":"Dewaxed Beige Shellac Flake","description":"\u003cp\u003eDewaxed beige shellac flake. A light-toned dewaxed grade, slightly warmer than blonde, slightly lighter than amber. Sits in the working middle of the dewaxed lineup.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDewaxed flake is a 20th-century industrial development — the wax that occurs naturally in the lac is removed through controlled solvent and filtration steps. The result is a shellac that lays down clearer, takes higher topcoats more reliably, and dissolves cleanly without the cloudiness wax-containing grades can produce in solution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBeige is useful when a project calls for a slightly-warmer-than-neutral cast — a subtle tone shift on lighter woods, a bridge between blonde and amber when neither is quite right.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSourced direct from a fifth-generation refining family in India who has supplied this bench since 1990. Pure, uncut, genuine.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shellac.net","offers":[{"title":"1 Lb","offer_id":52328553218341,"sku":"SHL-DE-BEIGE-1LB","price":66.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1\/2 Lb","offer_id":52328553251109,"sku":"SHL-DE-BEIGE-HLF","price":34.7,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1\/4 Lb","offer_id":52328553283877,"sku":"SHL-DE-BEIGE-QTR","price":19.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0997\/5136\/2853\/files\/dewaxed-beige-shellac-flake-hero.jpg?v=1779970398"},{"product_id":"dewaxed-blonde-shellac-flake","title":"Dewaxed Blonde Shellac Flake","description":"\u003cp\u003eDewaxed blonde shellac flake. The classic light-toned dewaxed grade. Pale enough not to shift the color of the wood beneath it, dewaxed enough to sit cleanly under any topcoat that comes after.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDewaxed flake is a 20th-century industrial development — the wax that occurs naturally in the lac is removed through controlled solvent and filtration steps. The result is a shellac that lays down clearer, takes higher topcoats more reliably, and dissolves cleanly without the cloudiness wax-containing grades produce in solution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBlonde is the working default for many shops — pale woods, French polishing, projects where the finish should disappear into the wood rather than announce itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSourced direct from a fifth-generation refining family in India who has supplied this bench since 1990. Pure, uncut, genuine.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shellac.net","offers":[{"title":"1 Lb","offer_id":52328553382181,"sku":"SHL-DE-BLONDE-1LB","price":66.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1\/2 Lb","offer_id":52328553414949,"sku":"SHL-DE-BLONDE-HLF","price":35.15,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0997\/5136\/2853\/files\/dewaxed-blonde-shellac-flake-hero.jpg?v=1779970405"},{"product_id":"dewaxed-garnet-shellac-flake","title":"Dewaxed Garnet Shellac Flake","description":"\u003cp\u003eDewaxed garnet shellac flake. Deep red-amber. The darkest of the dewaxed spectrum that still reads as a finishing shellac rather than a coloring agent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDewaxed flake is a 20th-century industrial development — the wax that occurs naturally in the lac is removed through controlled solvent and filtration steps. The result is a shellac that lays down clearer, takes higher topcoats more reliably, and dissolves cleanly without the cloudiness wax-containing grades produce in solution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGarnet is the dewaxed grade for restoration work where amber is not deep enough — for the patina of older walnut, mahogany, and aged hardwoods. The film carries warmth that pale grades cannot. Used carefully, it brings out the figure of the wood instead of obscuring it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSourced direct from a fifth-generation refining family in India who has supplied this bench since 1990. Pure, uncut, genuine.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shellac.net","offers":[{"title":"1 Lb","offer_id":52328553546021,"sku":"SHL-DE-GARNET-1LB","price":63.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1\/2 Lb","offer_id":52328553578789,"sku":"SHL-DE-GARNET-HLF","price":33.45,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1\/4 Lb","offer_id":52328553611557,"sku":"SHL-DE-GARNET-QTR","price":18.4,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0997\/5136\/2853\/files\/dewaxed-garnet-shellac-flake-hero.jpg?v=1779970411"},{"product_id":"dewaxed-amber-shellac-flake","title":"Dewaxed Amber Shellac Flake","description":"\u003cp\u003eDewaxed amber shellac flake. The classic warm mid-tone dewaxed grade — orange-amber when dissolved, depth without the deep red of garnet. The grade most often called for in general finishing work where shellac should add character without dominating it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDewaxed flake is a 20th-century industrial development — the wax that occurs naturally in the lac is removed through controlled solvent and filtration steps. The result is a shellac that lays down clearer, takes higher topcoats more reliably, and dissolves cleanly without the cloudiness wax-containing grades produce in solution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmber is the working middle of the dewaxed range. Walnut, oak, and other hardwoods accept it cleanly. It is the grade most general finishers reach for when the project calls for shellac and no specific color decision has been made.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSourced direct from a fifth-generation refining family in India who has supplied this bench since 1990. Pure, uncut, genuine.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shellac.net","offers":[{"title":"1 Lb","offer_id":52328553808165,"sku":"SHL-DE-AMBER-1LB","price":65.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1\/2 Lb","offer_id":52328553840933,"sku":"SHL-DE-AMBER-HLF","price":34.3,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1\/4 Lb","offer_id":52328553873701,"sku":"SHL-DE-AMBER-QTR","price":18.85,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0997\/5136\/2853\/files\/dewaxed-amber-shellac-flake-hero.jpg?v=1779970418"},{"product_id":"dewaxed-platina-shellac-flake","title":"Dewaxed Platina Shellac Flake","description":"\u003cp\u003eDewaxed platina shellac flake. The palest of the standard dewaxed grades — barely tinted, near-water-clear when dissolved. The shellac for finishes where the wood should look untouched.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDewaxed flake is a 20th-century industrial development — the wax that occurs naturally in the lac is removed through controlled solvent and filtration steps. The result is a shellac that lays down clearer, takes higher topcoats more reliably, and dissolves cleanly without the cloudiness wax-containing grades produce in solution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePlatina is the grade for pale woods you do not want to warm — maple, sycamore, holly — and for instruments where any color shift of the finish is a problem. The trade-off is depth: platina builds slowly and reads thinner than the warmer grades.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSourced direct from a fifth-generation refining family in India who has supplied this bench since 1990. Pure, uncut, genuine.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shellac.net","offers":[{"title":"1 Lb","offer_id":52328553972005,"sku":"SHL-DE-PLATINA-1LB","price":69.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1\/2 Lb","offer_id":52328554004773,"sku":"SHL-DE-PLATINA-HLF","price":36.45,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0997\/5136\/2853\/files\/dewaxed-platina-shellac-flake-hero.jpg?v=1779970425"},{"product_id":"dewaxed-super-blonde-shellac-flake","title":"Dewaxed Super Blonde Shellac Flake","description":"\u003cp\u003eDewaxed super blonde shellac flake. Lighter than blonde, warmer than platina — the dewaxed grade most French polishers reach for when working pale stock. Pale enough not to shift wood color, present enough to build a recognizable shellac film.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDewaxed flake is a 20th-century industrial development — the wax that occurs naturally in the lac is removed through controlled solvent and filtration steps. The result is a shellac that lays down clearer, takes higher topcoats more reliably, and dissolves cleanly without the cloudiness wax-containing grades produce in solution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMixing notes: see the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/pound-cut-chart\"\u003epound cut chart\u003c\/a\u003e for dry weight per gallon, quart, and pint at the common working cuts.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSuper blonde is the working choice for fine furniture, instrument soundboards, and any project where the shellac needs to be invisible in tone but present in build. The most common single grade we ship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSourced direct from a fifth-generation refining family in India who has supplied this bench since 1990. Pure, uncut, genuine.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Shellac.net","offers":[{"title":"1 Lb","offer_id":52328554135845,"sku":"SHL-DE-SPBLND-1LB","price":68.65,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1\/2 Lb","offer_id":52328554168613,"sku":"SHL-DE-SPBLND-HLF","price":36.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1\/4 Lb","offer_id":52328554201381,"sku":"SHL-DE-SPBLND-QTR","price":19.7,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0997\/5136\/2853\/files\/dewaxed-super-blonde-shellac-flake-hero.jpg?v=1779970432"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0997\/5136\/2853\/collections\/dewaxed-amber-flake-hero.jpg?v=1780017898","url":"https:\/\/shellac-net.myshopify.com\/collections\/dewaxed-shellac-flake.oembed","provider":"Shellac.net","version":"1.0","type":"link"}