It Seems to Be Splitting

[bluesky]

I have a question. I recently finished my first Gentlemens pen in Lace She Oak. I put a Shellawax finish on the pen and set it aside. A week later I noticed it has a crack which was not there when I assembled it a week ago. Also, I have looked at it just a couple of days ago and not crack. Now there is a crack. Do you think a CA finish would add strength to a pen?

 

[Ryan]

The first thing that comes to my mind is to check and make sure your blanks are dry! If they are you my be generating too much heat in your sanding or in applying your shellawax.

I have not had any problems with my lace she-oak spliting.

Ryan

 

[gerryr]

The first pen instructions I had didn't say that the wood needed to be trimmed flush with the tubes and I didn't really think about it. I later had some pens crack at the nib end. Thin wood doesn't take to severe compression very well. Make sure you trim all wood flush with the tubes. I can't guarantee it, but I don't think it's as much of a problems with acrylics.

 

[bluesky]

Thanks, I am pretty sure the blank was dry I got it from CSUSA. I went back and looked at the pen again and the blank does look as though it might have been pressed together to hard or the barrel was not flush with the tube.