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I need a satin/semi-gloss finish and want to use shellac. I've rubbed shellac out with steel wool before but did not like the results, so I'd like to add a flattener to try to get a satin sheen. The only product I've been able to find made for shellac is 'Shellac Flat' offered by Homestead Finishing Products. Has anyone used it? Are there alternatives?

FYI, I used the Shellac Flat product with quite bad results. It's easy to get the sheen you want, but it leaves little white specks of silica on the surface like in the picture that end up having to be sanded off, so it's pretty much unusable. I spoke with the folks at Homestead Finishing and they said it's a known issue. I wish they would have mentioned that in the product literature, but oh well, lesson learned.

I'm still looking for a nice off the gun satin finish using shellac, so if anyone has any ideas I'm all ears...

I seem to recall that you are supposed to strain/filter lacquer if mixed with silica flattening agent. I assume the same would hold for shellac. That should prevent white spots.

Another way to do it is to rub out with 4F pumice (mixed with water or oil). It won't leave visible scratches like steel wool. Be careful not to rub through. Water and oil give slightly different effects. Obviously this is another type of surface treatment and you might eventually get shiny wear spots.

If rubbing with steel wool, dipping it in paste wax first makes for a much more subtle sheen with less visible scratching. This is one situation where waxed shellac works better than dewaxed.

Yeah, I strained twice and still got the specks... the guy at Homestead says in shellac silica just likes to clump up like that.

I'll try some rubbing compound or pumice if I've got a fine enough grade. I've tried steel wool a bunch of times before with and without wax and have never been satisfied with the results.

You may have some luck with Rotten stone

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotten_stone

If you want to go finer than pumice

Rob