It's such a gas when the finish first hits the wood and the grain and color pops out.

You'll know better than most that I've been an oil finish guy for a long time. I've never had the equipment or space to spray lacquer and felt it looked kinda artificial. But, oh, that smooothness.

I've also held the belief that shellac was for grade school projects and a pain to brush on. Was I ever wrong. Not only does shellac do a better job of revealing the color and grain but the tactile part of it, that glass smoothness is fabulous. And padding makes it easy.

I'll still oil open pore wood like mahogany but for the rest, it's shellac.