Button Lac

In my travels, I have come across a product called button lac.

Can anyone help me as to what this product is used for?

What can be used instead of it?

Thanks

The following is a direct quote from Fine Woodworking Magazine #134. Department: Finish Line, article “Shellac: a marvelously versatile finish” by Chris Minnick.

Shellac resin is produced by a small, red sap-sucking insect indigenous to India and surrounding tropical areas. During a large part of its life cycle the female of the species exudes a mixture of resin and wax, forming a shell-like casing around herself and her fresshly laid eggs. This shell protects the maturing larvae from the elements (it also kills the mother in the process).

Once the young have matured and freed themselves from the crust, workers gather the crude lac from the trees, then refine it into what we know as shellac. Dry shellac flakes are available in several different grades, depending on the degree of refinement. Seed lac – the least refined – is dark reddish brown, while dewaxed super blond – the most refined grade – is a light pale yellow. From darkest to lightest, the furniture finishing grades of shellac are seed lac, button lac, garnet, orange and dewaxed super blond. Dewaxed versions of garnet and orange are also available.

To mix a “2-lb cut” of shellac you mix 100 grams of shellac flakes to 400 grams of denatured alcohol.

Hope this helps,

Thankyou Chris - this helps quite a bit.

One further question - what do you mean exactly bu the "degree of refinement"? Is this just differences in quality?