Any Seattle-Area Riv-Riders Need Amber Shellac?

[Rob]

I bought a quart at Lowes, which is enough for three coats of shellac on approximately 50 sets of handlebars...or about 40 more than I could ever imagine needing before it dried up in the can. Happy to share with local Riv-Riders. I have glass jars, swing by and pick up your free supply! 

Here's what three coats looks like on white cork: http://www.flickr.com/photos/robharrison/7682402680/

Rob in Seattle

[Stonehog]

Nice butterscotch Saluki bars, Rob!

Brian Hanson

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[SteveD]

Rob, I'm envious; always wanted a Saluki, but by the time I could afford a second bike, the production ended. Oh well.

No need for shellac though. I just bought a large can a month ago to redo the bar tape on the Atlantis.

Steve
Seattle

[Rob]

Thanks Brian! If you ever need any amber....:)

~RH

[Andy Smitty Schmidt]

The amber on white tape looks great! I'm about 1/3 of the way through a can of clear shellac... In PDX. It took about 2years and not all of it went on handlebars. I'm half tempted to re-finish my kitchen table with it.
--Andy

[Rob]

Hey Andy, next time I come down to Portland I'll bring a jar of amber for ya! :) 

The smell brought back deep memories of childhood, me refinishing model boats, my dad refinishing furniture. Nice that it cleans up with alcohol too. 

Rob in Seattle

[Rob]

Hi Jeff,

I masked off everywhere but the cork with masking tape, plastic bags and brown paper, so I kept the drips off the bike, and didn't have the occasion to clean it off the bike's paint. It is easiest to clean up of course before it dries, with a cloth moistened with alcohol. Not that that helps you at *this* point.... I bet the shellac would come off before the paint would though. Don't have any evidence at all to back that up, so try it on an unexposed area first....

Rob in Seattle

[pb]

Hmmm....  I've never tried shellac, and I typically use cork.  What's the feeling?  Does it feel organic/comfy/grippy?  Is it tacky when dry?  Is it slippery when sweaty?  Does it wear off?  If it wears and/or gets dirty, is it easy to clean and freshen?  

 

Andy, does white finish out white/clear, or does it darken white cork, assuming you have used it on white cork?

 

Thanks,

 

Peter

 

 

[Jeffrey]

Thanks Rob, I'll try it.

Jeff
Denver

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[Rob]

Hey Peter,

I was surprised--the shellac did not change the feel of the cork as much as I thought it might. It's definitely a bit stiffer, but the shellac is pretty flexible, so it still has a nice give to it. It feels grippy, but not tacky. It hasn't rained in Seattle since I shellacked the bars, so can't say how it'll be in the rain, and it's just been a couple weeks, so I can't say how durable it'll be. I do think it'll be easier to clean. My previous plain cotton bar tape lasted two years with no shellac. I bet this'll last longer. I figure I'll feel like trying something different (bar, stem, whatever) before it actually wears out. 

Rob in Seattle

[Andy Smitty Schmidt]

Peter,
The clear does darken the cork but I'm not sure "darken" is the right word. Amber definitely changes the color but the clear just sort of enhances it. It still looks natural.

Coming from a boat building background, my initial cork shellac-ing was several coats... Like 5 or 7 or so... I didn't count but went until there was a noticeably thick glaze. It was too much. Sort of plastic feeling and Slippery in the rain. Then I did 2 coats on the wife's Betty Foy and it was better. Then whe I went to alba bars on my AHH I did 1 coat. I like it a lot. Feels like cork, still grippy when wet, looks good.

--Andy

[pb]

Thanks, guys.

 

Peter