A traditional material for French polishing, pumice powder is used for invisibly filling the pores in timber to create a level surface over which finishes can be applied. After testing several grades we settled on FFF as the best - as fine and clear as possible but just coarse enough that the particles will still suspend properly in the oil.
Oil the surface and then immediately sprinkle pumice powder over it. Work the pumice hard into the pores with a rag or putty knife, always working across the grain so that you don't pull the filler out. Allow to dry and rub back with a clean linen tea towel. The longer you can let the oil cure before applying the first coats of shellac, the better. Pumice can also be used in the later stages of polishing as a gentle abrasive for cutting back between coats, or mixed with weak shellac for filling existing polished surfaces.
Indian brand pumice powder is mined from exceptionally consistent volcanic outcrops on Navajo land in New Mexico, USA. It is processed into a finished product just 8 miles from the mine, once the pumice has been extracted, each block of land is carefully landscaped and replanted.
Supplied in generously filled 1lb bags.
