Not Finishing A Pen?

[Wheaties]

Does anyone not put any finish on a pen?

The reason I ask is because after turning some Thuya Burl, I feel like it should be a crime to cover up that smell. Are there any woods that work well for not finishing (meaning not sealing it with CA, Lacquer, etc., just buffing).

Thanks

 

[RussFairfield]

Highly polished wood with no finish is an option, and there will always be some folks who prefer their pens that way. You can read what I have to say about that on my website at

http://www.woodturner-russ.com/FSOriginal4.html

Don't leave the finish off for the aroma. That is a fleeting thing that will disappear in a couple weeks of use. If you want to keep the smell, the pen will have to be stored in a tight case where it is protected from the atmosphere.

 

[DurocShark]

When I do cedar pens, I package up the shavings in a ziploc and give that with the pen.

 

[Wheaties]

When I do cedar pens, I package up the shavings in a ziploc and give that with the pen.

That's a good idea! Thanks guys!

 

[Russianwolf]

I sometimes use Russ' no-finish method on some of the Rosewoods and other tight grained woods that contain oils and waxes themselves.

The one wood that I know of that retains it's smell for a long time after exposure is Lignum Vitae, which has a very pleasant Citrus-like smell. I have a pen blank on my desk for a year and half and it still smells very nicely when put to my nose. (Any cracks about my big nose being able to smell anything will be met with painful retribution :tongue

I also recommend the no-finish on Irish Bog Oak. Even though it's not a tight grained wood, because of the color, it doesn't show dirt like fresh oak wood. And since it contains mineral iron, it can be polished to a high sheen also.

 

[Greg O'Sherwood]

I recently made a Sierra with a coffee bean blank. I carried it in my demo case just so folks could smell it and verify that it was real coffee beans. I received three orders in a week. NO one wanted it finished with CA, though, because it covered up the scent. I ended up just using the Beall 3 Buff on them instead. I have warned the buyers that the smell will eventually go away and that the pens are more likely to get damaged without the CA finish. They don't care.

Who am I to argue????

 

[DurocShark]

The beans will not last. DAMHIKT

 

[Russianwolf]

Don, That's because you were sucking them out of the PR. :wink: