Looking for input on finishing pens

[pensmyth]

OK, I've used Shellawax Cream and Hut Crystal Coat when finishing my pens and I'm just not getting the shine I want. I also have used CA as a finish and really like the way it looks but it is VERY time consuming. Has anyone used a friction type of polish that give a nice bright shine?

Andy

 

[stolicky]

Behlen's Wood Turner's finish will put a quick bright shine on things, but it is not durable as a finish on pens.

CA is really your best bang for time, shine, and durability.

 

[PenWorks]

Any woodworker will tell you, to get a quality durable finish, takes time. There is no short cut to a good finish. Friction polishes will shine, but not for long.

 

[GouletPens]

Take my advice from someone who spent years trying to avoid doing a CA finish and tried every other finish variation known to man....CA is all around the best. I do it exclusively now and I can do a top quality CA finish in 20-30 minutes. Rather than wasting your time trying to work around a CA finish, spend your time practicing different techniques and eventually you'll find a rhythm that will make CA a relatively quick finish for you. There are no cutting corners....the more durable finishes take longer to do, simply put. Try Urushi and that'll make CA seem like it takes no time at all!

 

[tim self]

+2 on what Brian said. Imagine a 100 yr old piece of furniture and how it looks. The finish is the key. A good one lasts, easy ones don't. Craftsman do not just put a was or polish on it. The finish is worked into the wood and it takes time. Just practice on some cheap/junk wood till you get it perfected.

 

[chriselle]

Brian's post sums it up. Finishing is THE most important step...not a mere after thought. CA delivers the goods in the least amount of time.

 

[Marc Phillips]

Well said Brian - when I first started turning I spent longer turning the pen than finishing the pen... now it is not even close; I can turn the pen very quickly, but it takes me nearly a half hour to get the finish I want. I have used them all, but the CA is the only finish I use now, and the time and effort it took to get "good" at it was time very well spent.

 

[RDH79]

CA vs Friction

Yes I too wanted to get the shine in the quickest way possible. I used friction polish for many of my first hundred pens until one day I seen one of my first pens. It looked awfull I was so embaressed that i knew I had to figure out the CA. And also the 24k was worrying off. And I have probably lost repeatcustomers for this reason. (If I would only have known)So now I just use CA and T/N Gold kits and the better platings. I have about 50 pens that are friction polished and I have been disassembling a few at a time and refinishing them. I do take some to shows but if I explain the differance in finish and platings. They usually go for the CA and better plating. But if price is an issue they still buy the fric/24K pens. They have a choice them. Rich H.

 

[RussFairfield]

Fast and durable are not mutually inclusive properties for a finish. There is nothing that is easier and faster than using a friction polish to get a high gloss. The only problem is that it is the least durable finish you can put on a pen other than a coat of wax. CA glue takes a lot longer, but it is also one of the most durable of finishes.

 

[GouletPens]

Okay, so other than telling you to do CA, yes, you can get a nice shine from friction finishes. Use Woodturner's Finish (shellac, basically) and put on a thick coat and let dry for an hour or so (don't rub it in). Buff it out once dry, then put on a coat of renaissance wax and buff that. It will look like glass.....for about a week.

 

[cnirenberg]

Okay, so other than telling you to do CA, yes, you can get a nice shine from friction finishes. Use Woodturner's Finish (shellac, basically) and put on a thick coat and let dry for an hour or so (don't rub it in). Buff it out once dry, then put on a coat of renaissance wax and buff that. It will look like glass.....for about a week.

That's the truth right there. You put all the effort to measure, cut and turn it, why would you just want to rush the lasting impression?

 

[pensmyth]

Hummm...I guess I should buy stock in a CA Glue Company then :}
Thanks for all the input!

Andy

 

[rpearson]

Have to agree with the group consensus on CA. I have also used Shellawax with good results. The keys with friction is preparation first in terms of sanding absolutely smooth then plenty of heat when applying the finish. I have a daily user pen made at least 6 years ago that was finished with shellawax and still looks very good. That being said it is NOT a glass finish like what you can get with CA.

 

[GouletPens]

Have to agree with the group consensus on CA. I have also used Shellawax with good results. The keys with friction is preparation first in terms of sanding absolutely smooth then plenty of heat when applying the finish. I have a daily user pen made at least 6 years ago that was finished with shellawax and still looks very good. That being said it is NOT a glass finish like what you can get with CA.

"Very good" is a relative term. I'm my own worst critic, and I can honestly say that the best pens I ever finished with a friction finish aren't as good as my worst CA finishes. It's all a matter in what you like. Some people really like the natural, satin, patina look of some woods with a friction polish. My father-in-law's favorite pen is a BOW pen I made him 2 years ago where the finish didn't last 2 days but the BOW got its own satin patina just from the oils in his hands. Also, the cheap 24k plating is long gone, too!!!! Ehhh...live and learn!:biggrin: But there's not a person on this earth that can argue that a friction finish can even touch a CA pen in terms of durability.