Best finish for BOW???

[woodscavenger]

I have done several BOW pens in the past. Love the wood but I am never satisfied with the CA finish on them. What do you all use to get a good finish? Mine always seem to be a little dull on the BOW.

 

[woodpens]

I have experienced the same thing, probably due to the oil content of the wood. I have found that the best method for me is to slow the lathe down and build a very thick coat of CA. My normal high speed method with thin CA doesn't cut it for BOW.

 

[mrcook4570]

I have also had the same problem. I now apply 3 to 4 additional coats to build it up nice and thick.

 

[JimGo]

Shane, do you wipe down with DNA on the oily woods like BOW before you apply the CA? (yep, that post was specially designed to tweak Frank (Rifleman))

 

[sptfr43]

I actually like to leave mine without a finish. The smell of the olive lets people know what it is

 

[bjackman]

I prefer Deft spray-on for finishing BOW. I usually put a quick coat of thin ca over the entire pen to wick into the wood and seal it all up some. (sometimes use BLO for the same effect) Then several coats of deft spray.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Originally posted by JimGo
<br />Shane, do you wipe down with DNA on the oily woods like BOW before you apply the CA? (yep, that post was specially designed to tweak Frank (Rifleman))

OK, I'm appropriately "tweaked". [:0] And I never use CA as a finish. And I never say never. []

 

[ed4copies]

I recall long ago (search didn't work, even including archives), Old Griz commented at some length about how he did BOW.

As you know, his pens are always showpieces. If he does not see this post, send him an e-mail. Hopefully, he will post here again tho' for those who have become active in the last 6 months-it was GOOD info.

 

[RussFairfield]

Putting a gloss finish on Olive wood is an excercise in futility. The oil will eventually come through and destroy the gloss, and it has nothing to do whether the wood came from California or Bethlehem.

The best finish on Olive is none. Polish the wood to 2500-grit or 12,000MM, whichever you prefer to use, and that is as good as it will get; and the wood will have that olive oil odor. Forget using wax because it will be gone by tomorrow morning.

If we insist on putting something on it, shellac or lacquer friction polishes work as well as anything because of their solvents. The way I have used them is a 3-step process. Apply, wait a few days for it to get dull, buff with steel wool, and repeat 2 more times. The 3rd application will sufficiently seal the surface that the gloss will last until it gets into the hands of the purchaser where it will get dull anyway.

 

[ed4copies]

OR, listen to Russ, he's an OK penturner too!!

AND, I like his answer, I do "NO finish" as well as anyone!!!

Thanks Russ!

 

[Dario]

Originally posted by ed4copies
<br />OR, listen to Russ, he's an OK penturner too!!

LOL...this could qualify for the understatement of the year! []

 

[ed4copies]

Dario,

That's the way it was meant, I think Russ knows that!

 

[JimGo]

Wait, Russ isn't an OK pen turner, he's an ID pen turner. Just check his signature block.

 

[jdavis]

Deft works for us

 

[Dario]

Originally posted by ed4copies
<br />Dario,

That's the way it was meant, I think Russ knows that!

My reply was a joke too...hope you are not offended.

 

[clewless]

I usually try to finish it with an application of Bombay Sapphire...internally of course...smelling that Olive wood just gets my olfactory system hyped up...[]

 

[ed4copies]

Dario,
I'M not offended, just don't want Russ to be.

 

[RussFairfield]

Often offensive, rarely offended.

Thanks for the compliments.

 

[laurie sullivan]

hello..i turn olive wood all the time. pens or bowls. i have found that if you wait a day or 2 it's easier to finish. i use a spray lacquer. wet n dry. then lacquer and so on. i have logs sitting out side for 3 years and they are as fresh in the center as the day they were cut with a few add cracks and voids.[8D]

laurie

 

[ldimick]

I have excellent results with dipping them in Enduro. But it does need a thick coat.

 

[alparent]

How to finish it is one question. Do you want to finish it is another?
My clients don't want any finish on it. They want to touch and smell that wonderful BOW.