Shellac Flakes For Hat Stiffening

IN STOCK NOW

Dewaxed Shellac Flakes

Dewaxed shellac means that the shellac has been de-waxed in the processing. Shellac has about 6% wax by volume. This is removed down to about .2%. Dewaxed shellac dries faster and harder. It is the only shellac that is used by Pharmaceutical and Food industries. Only use dewaxed shellac on your hats.

Shellac (/ʃəˈlæk/) is a resin secreted by the female lac bug on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. It is processed and sold as dry flakes and dissolved in alcohol to make liquid shellac, which is used as a brush-on HAT STIFFENER.

Directions:

1) Our Shellac Flakes can be mixed with  99% Isopropyl Alcohol (not rubbing alcohol). (Some choose denatured alcohol but if you do, spray outside using goggles, facemask and gloves, do your research before using denatured alcohol, we suggest Isopropyl 99%)

2) Dissolve  1 cup of flakes to one gallon of alcohol for a stiff finish MAX, to 1/2 cup to one gallon for less stiffness.  You will have to test to find the level of stiffness that you require. Use a glass bottle with a tight lid unless you have one of our plastic gallon jugs from our premixed felt hat stiffener, then you can recycle it. Swirl the contents in the bottle from time to time.  In a few hours the shellac will be completely dissolved.  It’s that simple. Feel free to make smaller quantities by keeping the same shellac : alcohol ratio, especially if you know you are not going to use it within 6-8 months.

It is 100% non toxic (before adding the alcohol) which is why it is widely used in the food/pharmaceutical industries.

( cup = 8 oz, 1 lb = 16 oz.,  Therefore there are 2 cups in a lb.)

3) Put in a spray bottle and then brush in, let dry.  If more is needed, repeat.

4) Make sure you have good ventilation, if you are sensitive be sure to wear a mask.

Some hatters stiffen their hot bodies and then block them.

Personally I like to block my hat body first and while it is still on the hat block and has dried, I stiffen.  Let it dry first so that the stiffener has somewhere to go that is not filled up with water. The reason I like to block first is that it is easier to block (to stretch and shrink the felt) the hatbody before it has been stiffened.

Colors: Platina or Super Blonde

Platina Flakes are especially good for all light colors even white hats, but can be used on all colors.

Super Blonde Flakes can be used on Dark Beige to black hats.

Always test in a small area before applying for a full application.

This should yield at the min 2 gallons of hat stiffener if you use it at MAX STRENGTH.