Finishing Leopardwood?

[Elvee61]

Does anyone have experience in finishing this interesting wood?

The wood itself has a gorgeous spotted grain, but finishing it has been challenging. Finishing it with CA comes out looking dull and lifeless. Same with EEE and Shellawax.

I just can't get it to "pop" and get that 3d look that I expect after umpteen coats of CA. The pens just end looking flat and dull, almost like I wrapped them with a cheap vinyl veneer, and nobody's going to want to buy that.

 

[hunter-27]

I have not had that same problem. It has been difficult to keep the scratch pattern consistant on the "spots" for me at times but no problem in finishing it that I recall.

 

[reiddog1]

I would put a quick coat of BLO on it before CA. It may help with popping the pattern. Just my 2 pennys. Hope this helps.

Dave

 

[Fibonacci]

I finished the couple that I did with linseed oil and CA and had great results.

 

[SDB777]

I would put a quick coat of BLO on it before CA. It may help with popping the pattern. Just my 2 pennys. Hope this helps.

Dave

Nothing pops it like BLO! The grain, that is.


Scott

 

[leehljp]

The finer you sand it the wood before CA or BLO, the more the 3D look (referred to as "chatoyance" among woodworkers and pen turners) comes out. I am talking about 600 SP, then 800. Burnishing or rubbing with a fine cloth or paper towel at 1000 - 2000 RPM will bring the grain out as much as can be expected. Then do the same burnishing with the paper towel and BLO.

Since you have already added CA, strip it back to the wood by sanding or using a just sharpened scraper chisel or skew and light delicate touches. If using sandpaper, I would NOT use anything lower than 400 SP to sand back to the wood, or you run the risk of scratches that will be magnified once you get the wood into the chatoyance state that you want. Once the wood is uncovered, sand up to 800, burnish, add the BLO, burnish, then add the finish.

Clarification:
You mentioned that the pens "looked flat and almost dull". Are you referring to the fact that it is not "3D", - Or that it does not have a "shine"? Not having a "shine" is a different problem from my above answer and the other folks answer.

 

[Elvee61]

Thanks for all the advice! I changed over and turned some walnut and box elder to see if it was me, my tools or materials (I bought my can of BLO the same year my 14-year-old daughter was born, don't know if that stuff goes bad). Everything shines and has that 'depth' that I expect.

Went back and turned another piece of leopardwood from the same batch, and it still looks dull and lifeless after I'm finished. No shine, no depth. Looking at the finish with a bright light and magnifying glass shows that the CA has a slight greyish tint and looks "dirty". I always give my pieces a wipe with some denatured alcohol before I start in with the CA, so I don't think it's dust.

I'm going to scrape and sand all these back to bare wood and try giving the pieces an acetone bath and put on several coats of sanding sealer before I finish them again. I suspect that something in (or on) this batch of leopardwood is reacting with the CA.

Thanks for all your help, guys. I hope I can solve this mystery. These blanks have some beautiful grain that I'd like to see all nice and shiny.

 

[mkihne]

I have a leopardwood Father Sing in my hand as we speak. I made this pen 5 years or so ago. I finished through micromesh 12000 and used sanding sealer(probably not necessary on this fine grain) and used Myland's friction polish. My pen, following 5 years of fairly consistent use, still has the "satin side of high gloss" look that it was given. On many woods, probably most, my preference is to avoid the high gloss CA look(just me, likely). The grain detail is superb. Just something to try and compare.