CA Durability?

[hsingyihsingyi]

How durable is a CA finish? I usually put shellwax over the CA finish, but am not sure how durable they are. What has been your experience with it/them?
Thanks,

 

[its_virgil]

I really don't understand why shellawax, crystal coat, mylands, or any other friction polish, french polish, or others would be used over a nice CA finish. I know lots of penturners do it...I didn't say it wasn't good...just that I don't understand it. The friction polishes will not last...why use them? I just don't understand.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by hsingyihsingyi
<br />How durable is a CA finish? I usually put shellwax over the CA finish, but am not sure how durable they are. What has been your experience with it/them?
Thanks,

 

[leehljp]

I am still kinda new at this but I used CA on my first pen about a year ago and treated the pen roughly - dropped it out of my pocket numerous times. I also put it in my pants pocket with loose change on occason. The CA took it well. It had a good thick coat on it. I think that uniform thickness is key.

 

[Monty]

CA should be all you need. If anything, I put a coat of carnuba followed by TSW and buff.

 

[RussFairfield]

"How long will it last?", is a question that will apply to any finish that we can use.

CA glue has been in general use as a finish for pens for about 3 years that I know of and a few of us have been using it longer than that. Those who have been using it that long are still using it, and that tells me that it is a durable finish. Only time will tell how much longer a life expectancy it will have.

The only other finishes that can match its durability are the polyurethanes. The most popular poly finish is Enduro because it is easier to use and dries faster than any other poly finish that I know of.

I use a shellac over the CA rather than a wax because it gives me a super high gloss, it adds a warmer feel to the surface when a potential customer picks up the pen, it lasts longer than wax, and it doesn't take any longer to apply. I also have a lot of shellac from my early days of making pens that has to be used up.

 

[hsingyihsingyi]

Thanks for the comments. I may experiment with the shellac and see what the process and results are like?
thanks,

 

[low_48]

I've stopped using any wax on the pens. I had two female customers that brought them back with a rather sticky feel to the pens. I could only contribute it to the hand lotion that they were using, just my guess. I washed the pens with mineral spirits to remove the wax and clean it. I then put on two coats of gloss water based poly. No recalls since.

I have always been afraid of any french polish or shellac finish. Both of these have no resistance to water or alcohol. Add most lacquers to that, and add soft wax. Denatured alcohol is the solvent for shellac, and water mixes very well with alcohol. Gin and tonic is my favorite[] If any conditions will exist that simulate the solvent, don't use it.
That's why I like CA or water based poly for my finishes. "Water based" seems to break the rules, but try to strip it with just water when it has dried. Water is just used to carry the solids, it's a completely different animal. Try the same with alcohol on shellac and it will melt instantly. Water will mark it in just a few minutes.

 

[Johnathan]

CA is great, buff it and watch it glow![8D]

 

[Daniel]

My best experience withCA has been a pen a friend made me lst christmas. I carried it at work in my shirt pocket for about 4 months. I work as a repair man and warehouse person. it took a beating from carrying boxes, equipment, laying on the work bench, falling on a concrete floor, etc. the finish still looks as good as the day it was given to me. I stopped carrying it because the clip started to give out. I don't want it broken so I use it at home now. in comparison I also use one of the first pens I made, it has a shellawax finish on it, it looks like it has no finish, the wood actually has dings and scuffs in it, and I generally would not even take it out to show people that I make pens. the clip and other hardware are holding up well and it writes just fine. So I will use it till it breaks or gets ran over by my fork lift. nobody tries to steal that one.

 

[hsingyihsingyi]

Thanks. It does reassure me that so many of you speak so highly of the CA. I had gotten the questions on the durability of the finish and was not sure of the life of the finish, but it really seems like it is one of the best, if not the best; although I realize that finish choice is also a matter of personal preference and some folks may use other finished. Right now I'm going to stick with CA.
Thanks,
Jay

PS. Johnathan, I went to your site and you had some very impressive pens.