Casein Pinholes

[plano_harry]

I am using what I understand is real casein (bought a while back from PSI). It turns great, smells real, but at my profile diameter I am getting a few tiny pinholes. These naturally show up as dark dots on the ivory material and I can't accept it. I have tried gently sanding them out, turning them out, filling with CA, CA sanding slurry, nothing worked. I started out with 4 holes, got down to 2, and ended up with 7 before giving up and ordering Alt Casein from EB.

My search did not reveal any other complaints about pinholes so my question is -- was this a bad blank, or is this to be expected with real casein? Anyone else had this problem?
Thanks,
Harry

 

[airborne_r6]

I've only turned real casein once; it didn't have any pinholes like you describe. Is it possible that you are getting really small chipout? How are you turning it? I used a 3/4" roughing gouge to true the blank, a skew to cut it to size and laid the skew on its side as a scraper to making the last thousandths of cut.

 

[plano_harry]

Thanks for the reply Wayne. Normally even a small chip out will leave multiple tool marks. These are random appearing tiny pinholes like an air bubble, but smaller. Never two together. I think I got a bad piece of casein. I had previously used a couple of slices off this blank for segment work and it also had these holes. Although people talk of it being brittle, I found this amazingly smooth to turn.

I am turning with a new carbide. I do my shaping holding at an angle like a skew, then finish flat like a scraper with very fine cuts.

Since the pen is sold, I caved and ordered alt casein. IMHO, it is not as cool looking as the real stuff. I think I am going to try real casein again, but get it from EB this time. If it happens again, it is either me or the material. That's why I wondered if anyone else had seen that.

I appreciate the observation.

Harry