Thread: Burnishing a sanded piece with woodshavings- questions about Ron Roszkiewicz book

Burnishing with shavings gets a mention in a few old books.

Never tried it.

How could it be better than quality fine abrasives? Dunno but I'm open to new, and old, ideas. Suck it and see.

Re steel wool, obviously that can be a prob. where there are voids or checking. The strands can get stuck and have to be picked out. I only use 0000 wool to cut back sanding sealer where the wood is sound.

HTH

I didn't realise it wasn't the done thing - I do it quite a bit: sand to 600, burnish, tung oil. The burnishing makes quite a difference to the smoothness of the piece compared to 600 grit.

Whatever works for you.

Maybe the modern equiv. is Neil's EEE-Ultra Shine (cut 'n' polish paste wax)

Woodwould mentioned doing it so I gave it a try. It works really well on walnut and elm. I just use a handfull of the shavings from the piece.

So does it denib raised grain sections or just 'polish' the piece?

I think both Ern.

Ooh cool, I didn't quite expect such a response! Seems like this is a bit of an old-timer trick of the trade! I will certainly be giving it a go then.

Jimbur, do you think it only applies to hardwoods (you mentioned elm and walnut) or is it just a general technique? Also, I am assuming you used dry shavings, not wet/green ones?

michael_m, do you use it on all your pieces? Also, are fine shavings or chunkier ones better in your experience? Cos the illustration in the book seems to show a mix of both.

Oiliver, I don't often turn softwoods so I can't say. It doesn't cost anything to try so give it a go.

I used to do it a long time on pine rolling pins. no other finish just burnish.

You must make sure that it is shavings and not chunks. You will know it if you do.

It is preferable if it is the same timber as what you are turning but not wet, no effect.

Watch out you don't set fire to anything. Remember it is 2 sticks rubbing together. If you do, you are pressing too hard or long.

Originally Posted by Oiliver

michael_m, do you use it on all your pieces? Also, are fine shavings or chunkier ones better in your experience? Cos the illustration in the book seems to show a mix of both.

I don't on pens (having only made 6 in my life, that's not saying much though), but tend to on the hollow forms and bowls. This is partly because of time - I find it a quick way to get the surface ready and with three little kids, turning time is precious to me; and also a lot to do with cheapness. I just use a handful of the shavings from making it, making sure I don't have any bits of bark in the handful (learnt that one the hard way!). The shaving sizes are a mix of whatever is on the floor/lathe at the time.

I mostly use softwoods because I have a whole lot of mixed conifer logs from the kerb, so yes, it works fine on fir, spruce, cypress and unknown pine.

I also sometimes don't burnish, and use EEE, sometimes I finish with turner's wax, sometimes with shellawax. But I'm just staring out in this turning bizzo, and currently it's all one big fun experiment for me.

I have used this method for many years and on soft to med hard woods it works really well,.

My normal finish, is to sand , burnish, then apply several coats of BLONDE shellac, and burnish between the first 3 coats, then buff with a soft cloth for the next 4 coats(this is my minimum). I then consider wax , that is 4-6 coats with a polish between each.

Jeff
vk4

Burnishing has been around for a long time. Most commonly used in days past, when abrasives were fairly primitive. I have used bone, also the back of a roughing gouge on slow concave hollows and the side of a skew chisel on slow convex shapes. The bone was a bovine rib bone treated to remove the marrow and fat.
However this does tighten up the pores of the wood and it will not take a stain evenly. Wood shavings will not "tighten" the grain of the timber as much and will allow the stains etc. to work better.
Jim

Played around with as a kid, never felt the need these days. As Ern has pointed out we have moved on some to better abrasives etc.

The last time I was as Sovereign Hill (Ballarat), the wood turner finished everything with wood shavings (and sometime some twine for burn mark accents).