Thread: Wood Pen Finish

Well, I'm only a novice but, the first half dozen pens I turned, I sanded to 800 grit then EEE paste + Shellawax to finish. This gave a super smooth, soft to touch satin / semi gloss finish. It is a much easier and quicker finish than CA, and your bushings don't get bogged up with CA & almost Zero mess. I going to do a couple of pens today with this method. I'll post the pics. Cheers.
SHELLAWAX friction polish

JT, I use either a high gloss CA finish or a friction finish using Shellwax. I have seen posts (from Hazza B I think) where he did a CA finish but stopped partway through the micromesh range to get a more satin look. I've also seen somewhere that using BLO / CA give the same satin finish but haven't tried it myself.

cheers
WH

Most of my customers expect a high gloss finish. So that's what I try to put on my pens. I use CA for this.

I do get someone now and again that prefers a more natural looking finish, I have had a couple of commissions asking for this.
For these I did a oil and Hut wax finish, they liked the look and feel of these.

I did a pen for myself once, I put a CA finish on, and finished the sanding with 0000 steelwool, then put Hut wax on top, This gave a nice look and feel.

Yeah, for some reason people seem to like the gloss finish even on timber. The timber you use also makes a difference to the appearance of the finish and gloss achievable on a particular piece of wood.
The BLO/CA finish does, in fact come up quite glossy but seems to lose a bit of its shine after a while although I have a pen that I did in this fashion and is still glossy today 2 years later. Other timbers I have applied this finish to have toned down to a mat to satin finish appearance.

JTT, horses for courses! most of the time I have high gloss finish of CA etc, but there are some who like thar "woody" feel to the pen, and I actually like it, but most get attracted to the high polish finish. Amos

Originally Posted by Woodenink

JTT, horses for courses! most of the time I have high gloss finish of CA etc, but there are some who like thar "woody" feel to the pen, and I actually like it, but most get attracted to the high polish finish. Amos

I know I'm gonna regret this, but I have to say it:

If someone asks for a high-gloss finish on a pen, I tell them to go to Woollies and buy a plastic one - it'll be cheaper, and they'll stop wasting my time.

I simply cannot understand why anyone would go to the trouble of turning a wooden pen, then slather it with nasty plastic, whether it is CA, or WOP, or whatever.

EEE and Shellawax Glow (with at least a 24-hr embargo on handling) give a durable surface which enhances the beauty of the wood.

Indeed Ubeaut Neil at Robbos when asked suggested shellawax alone as a durable finish. Avoid EEE because of the stains you can pick up from the pen mandrel. Sand down to 1200 or so and 2 coats of shellawax and leave it to mature.

Thanks all for the comments. I don't believe a shelewax or a EEE finish will stand the test of time. It will begin to look dungy from the oils in your fingers. I think I will try the CA finish but knock it back with some 4/0 steel wool to give a soft sheen. I have people ask for both and I have never done a soft sheen yet. Always a polished CA finish. Will see how this plays out with some customers. Thanks again.

I've used Shellawax or CA, depending on how I feel, though mostly CA now. The nicest pen I have to hold is a Wenge, with the open grain that it has, sedona done in shellawax. The wood almost feels raw, but with a slight sheen on it and has been that way for a year or two (one of my really early ones - the turning is rubbish, but I like the finish ). My other shellawax pens are showing signs of wear (ie, only glossy in patches).

I like the look of CA, but the plastic coating really isn't as nice to hold. I don't know if knocking the gloss off would be enough to make the wood feel more natural, but I would be certainly interested in seeing the results - could look very nice

Cheers,
Dave

I love the look of a well done ca or high gloss finish on a wooden pen, I reckon it really highlights and enhances the grain and characteristics of the timber.

Most of the time I use WOP gloss finish but it also comes in satin. friction polish doe snot last but will allow the blank to pick up a patina and to some that is what they want.

In one of my past lives I was an industrial chemist and I just have an aversion to bathing in, handling or inhaling CA in any form.

very interesting, im learning lots from this thread.

Does anyone know how to keep a satin finish for softer woods like cedar or holly wood?

They don't retain their shape when bumped around as compared to a CA finish.