The beauty of Cabinet-work depends upon the care with which it is finished; some clean off with scraping and rubbing with glass paper: this should be done in all cases, but it is not enough, particularly where the grain is anyways soft; a good glass paper is also essential; (directions for making which will be found in page 20,) a polish should then be added. But unless the varnish for cabinetwork be very clear and bright, it will give a dingy shade to all light-coloured woods; this should therefore be a previous care.

The French Method Of Polishing

With a piece of fine pumice-stone and water, pass regularly over the work with the grain, until the rising of the grain is down; then with powdered Tripoli and boiled linseed oil polish the work to a bright face; this will be a very superior polish, but it requires considerable time.

Cheap Oil Polish

The cheapest and most simple polish is, first, having well cleared the work, to oil the article with linseed oil, when by oiling and rubbing for a short time a bright gloss will be produced, and the natural colour of the wood will show to much advantage. When it is required to darken the colour, alkanet root, dragon's blood, or other colouring matters which dissolve in oil, slightly heated, are mixed with the above.

To Polish Ivory

If ivory be polished with putty and water, by means of a rubber made of hat, it will in a short time produce a fine gloss.

To Polish any work of Pearl. Go over it with pumice stone, finely powdered, (first washed to separate the impurities and dirt,) with which you may polish it very smooth; then apply putty-powder as directed for ivory, and it will produce a fine gloss and a good colour.

To Polish Tortoiseshell Or Horn

Having scraped your work perfectly smooth and level, rub it with very fine sand-paper or Dutch rushes; repeat the rubbing with a bit of felt dipped in very finely powdered charcoal with water, and lastly with rotten-stone or putty powder; and finish with a piece of soft wash leather, damped with a little sweet oil.

French Polishing

All polishes are used much in the same way. If your work be porous, or the grain coarse, it will be necessary, previous to polishing, to give it a coat of clear size previous to your commencing with the polish; and when dry, gently go over it with very fine glass paper; the size will fill up the pores and prevent the waste of the polish.

by being absorbed into the wood , and be also a saving of considerable time in the operation.