This is a post in a series of 31 Days of Wood Finishing. See the intro post with all the topics here.
Padding lacquer can be used to french polish also. It can give you the same results as shellac. It has better resistance to water, and dries very quickly. It mixes well with dyes, and colored powders. You can use it to create a custom color, and is good for touch ups.
You make a pad (rubber), just like in french polishing, and apply it the same way with slight differences. No mineral oil is used, and it comes in the bottle ready to use.
The only drawback is that it is very smelly, and you need to wear a respirator, and have some ventilation. Padding lacquer is more of a specialized finish for pros. It takes a little practice to get used to. I have not seen it at any hardware stores, and you may have to go online to purchase it. I used this primarily for touch up, and reconditioning work on furniture, but I hardly use it anymore because of the fumes.
Zeke Willard