Of the varieties of shellacs available on the market, orange shellac is perhaps the type used most often by the conservator and craftsman for French polishing. (Bleached or white shellac is not suitable for this purpose.) However, from my experience over the years I have found that blonde shellac is, in my opinion, a superior shellac for French polishing. There are two reasons for this; ease of preparation and most important, the appearance of the final finish. -- CAL