Polissoir for carvings?

bbrown

Well-known member
  I've been reading about resurgence in the use of the polissoir.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5al4CtLFebU

      Does anyone use one?  I am wondering if it has a role for 'polishing' carvings, as an alternative to sanding?

  --Bill
 
Bill, thanks for sharing this! I have never used one, but I have bundled shaving horse shavings to do polishing, which I have been calling burnishing.  Going to have to try one!
 
Don Williams makes and sells polissoirs.  His online store isn't up and running yet, but he has information on how to order them at the bottom of this post:  http://donsbarn.com/polissoir-line-up-now-complete/. Polissoirs (polishers) can be used for waxing, burnishing, or a combination of waxing and burnishing.  One of the first written references to the polissoir is found in A.J. Roubo’s “L’Art du Menuisier.”
 
Eighteenth-century English polishers wrapped a piece of short-pile carpet around a brick to polish large surfaces. I can attest it works well. For the past forty years, I have used a tightly rolled and tied piece of hessian (burlap to you?) for smaller areas.
 
  Thanks for the replies guys. 

  I wonder how this would work on carvings?

  I've seen Don Williams' polissoirs.  He has info on using these for flat surfaces but have not heard of their use for complex carvings

  I plan to make a few polissoirs from wisk brooms and band clamps.  I'll see how it goes.

      --Bill
 
Don has several models.  One is made specifically for 'burnishing intricate high-relief carving.'  Another is made for burnishing 'the insides of concave surfaces and the corners of panels.'
 
I've never heard the word Polissoir It looks like it might be a bit rigid to aggressively apply to a carving! Or to any inlay. Maybe not? I've always used wood wool (excelsior) which does a nice job. 
John McAlister 
 
  Thanks John.  Where do you get this 'Excelsior"?  Does this look right.........

  http://www.amazon.com/Aspenwood-Excelsior-565-Cubic-Inches-Natural/dp/B005D7BCPC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399987938&sr=8-1&keywords=wood+excelsior

I plan to make a few polissoirs when I get time: I figure that one can control how firm the 'burnishing' end will be by how tight (and how close to the end) of the bundle the band clamp is placed.

  Sorry for the delayed response, I just discovered this reply.
 
This is probably a cheaper alternative.
http://www.uline.com/BL_1972/Excelsior
or here for smaller amounts.
http://www.containerstore.com/shop/movingShippingStorage/packingMaterials?productId=10002756

Tony
 
John McAlister said:
"I've never heard the word Polissoir"  

"a tool consisting of a flat wooden block with a long iron or steel handle and used in glass manufacturing for flattening out split cylinders of blown glass :  an implement used for polishing or grinding"
 
Looks like Lie-Nielson now has these for sale....

https://www.lie-nielsen.com/product/toms-toolbox/polissoir?node=4225
 
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