Bog Oak Question

[Haynie]

After seeing the latest Bog Oak pen I am thinking I need some of the Ukrainian variety. I have a question though

I want pronounced grain. When I finish turning the blank is there a way to possibly raise the grain and give the pen a more wood feel and not smooth?

 

[1080Wayne]

For sure , no CA . BLO will darken it to almost black , so I wouldn`t use it either . I would be tempted to just sand it to 600 and leave it .

 

[Russianwolf]

here is an unprotected keychain I made several years ago.

It will hold up fine without any sealant/finish.

The most I use on my pens is a lacquer.

 

[Haynie]

Thanks

 

[Joe S.]

Mineral oil maybe?

 

[FlowolF]

This may not be helpful and you may have your solution already, but when I was making a pair of flat (ish) traingular earrings out of a sweet piece of oak that had strips of hard red oak grain interspersed with softer golden sapwood, rubbing up and down the length of the grain with fine steel wool had the effect of removing more of the softer wood, raising the harder grain in quite a pronounced fashion - looked stunning until I killed them fitting the findings LOL!


FlowolF

 

[jfoh]

I sand blasted a red oak pen to accent the grain. Then sanded pen by hand with the grain. Gave the pen a very smooth weathered look. Kept the final top finish as a very light French polish with a little soft wax, then buffed the pen. Looked like a fifty year old fence post that was very easy to use and soft instead of rough. Been thinking about doing another one with a hard southern yellow pine blank. Should make the heart wood stand out.

 

[yaroslaw]

Haynie, there are some different answers on that matter.

As you've probably read from my description, I've took two roads at once:

1) I've chosen lighter wood. Some older, 3000-5000-7000yrs old would be jet black with less pronounced grain, I believe. So with lighter wood I do not have any problem putting oil finish in top. In fact, it doesn't go "on top", it goes more in open pores from brushing, as "hard" wood after being polished do not take much oil or darken.
I will take few older (darker) pieces in days to see how it goes. The source of bog oak I have found have whole lot of different wood, different shades, different grain, different density.

2) I've "brushed" it (sandblast is option if you have equipment). I used soft (much softer then micromesh) abrasive pads from SIA, also had 3M variety same kind, they are also way cheaper then MM, about $1.2 per 5" pad. Sanded with paper to 400grit, then pads 800-1000-1500. "Brushing" effect appears from sanding lengthwise with 800 (can be 600 or even less). I've noticed that effect working with wenge in normal progression (sand with lathe on - stop and sand lengthwise) and on wenge it almost eliminated soft layers of wood if working long enough.
CA finish doesn't look really good, as you can see from my post.