Your Preferred Bog Wood Finish

[TonyL]

I just turned 2 Ukranian BW...and they both turned beautifully. I haven't assembled them yet. I finished one with WTF and the other with Plexitone and I was "underwhelmed" with both finishes. I did see a YouTube where a pen turner used CA, but I heard that was the way to go. I can easily sand off my finishes and start over.

What is your preferred finish on "ancient" bog wood?

Thank you!

PS. I can see how one can become addicted to BW!

 

[jcm71]

I finished a couple with CA and was not at all pleased with the results. Now my go to finish on all bog oak (I and U) is Pens Plus. I like it and my customers do as well.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

I use pens plus between grits of sanding but none after the last grit then wax. It's the finish I like on bog oak. I prefer it matte.

 

[TonyL]

Very nice. I have a PP. It just doesn't last as long. I will try it on one and try CA on the other. Thanks!

 

[Dan Masshardt]

Very nice. I have a PP. It just doesn't last as long. I will try it on one and try CA on the other. Thanks!

In this case there's really not much to last as it's not really a built up finish - more of a pore filling solution.

You could probably also use a couple coats of thin ca knocked back down and get a similar result.

I did a bog oak shaving set with full on built up ca too and I think it came out nice.

 

[TonyL]

I made one (SPW Liberty) for my son with the following finish:
Sand to 800
Wipe with DNA
One coat of BLO
6 heavy coats of medium CA (EZ Bond)
2 coats of thin CA (EZ Bond)
Used accelerator after each CA application.
sanded again from 400 to 800
4 stage buffing
Plastic polish
Rejex



I was pleased. We will see how mine turns-out and I will post.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

My IBO shave set with ca.

 

[TonyL]

Very well done. Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

[southernclay]

I did an Irish Bog Oak Zen two weeks ago and went with Walnut Oil, sanded lengthwise at each step to be sure the pores were all cleaned out. Laid the oil to it and wrapped a paper towel soaked in walnut oil around it overnight and wiped it off the next night. I really like the look. This was borrowed from Yaroslaw's Ukranian BO pen other than the wrapping the blank overnight, not sure if that made a difference or not.

Here's a quick couple of pics.

 

[TonyL]

Thank you. I will definitely finish similarly. It is survived 2,500 years in a bog, I am sure it will endure a decade or two of handling. It really is something that can be admired and enjoyed with little finish. I guess nature already done most of the work for us.

Thanks folks!

 

[SteveG]

I achieve a look very similar to the very nice results Warren posted by this process (The goal is a protective finish that will last, yet still preserve all the 3-D tactile and visual characteristics of the coarse and open grain oak):

Once turned/sanded to 600 grit, clean blank very well. Apply a SINGLE coat of thin CA to seal the wood. Follow with one (or possibly two, depending on how it looks) application of WTF. Buff or polish that with a small cloth to cure it up...on the lathe at medium speed. Then, with lathe stopped, use 0000 steel wool in length-wise direction only to get the low gloss, minimalist look. This is quick and is a nice, "close to the wood" look.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

It's cool how we can get so many different results with different techniques.

That open grain would drive me nuts! Haha

 

[RedBeard]

I attempted bog oak twice. The first I finished with BLO/CA and it was a pain in the neck to get get it built up enough to fill in the opened grain. The other I used WTF and while it didn't do anything for filling in the grain it did provide a facet where the WTF in the open grain was a bit shinier than the other parts. I wasn'y exactly thrilled with either but the WTF grew on me and the person I gave the pen to loves it.

 

[Sandsini]

I've tried friction polishes, CA finishes and no finish and what I've settled on is a couple of coats thin CA and knock it down with sandpaper (as Dan mentioned). Not enough to fill the grain but enough to give a low sheen satin finish. It looks richer than anything else and I feel that it adds to the durability of the wood.

 

[MarkD]

Tony,
Here is one I finished with CA. It's true that you don't have the beautiful open grain with a CA finish but then again I think it would be a pain to keep clean. So many choices....

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/irish-bog-oak-triton-121937/

 

[TonyL]

Nice!

 

[tbroye]

Just finished turning a Sierra blank and used some BLO on it. Going to turn another and use WTF on that one. Haven't use a wood finish in so long it will be a new experience. The Pen is going to a relative by marriage who defected from the former Soviet Union in the late 80's it will be on a American made Stainless kit from Lazerlinez. We have had some great discussions about Putin lately very interesting view point on how he and others feel, not what you would think.

 

[Rick_G]

My preferred finish for all pens is CA just because it lasts. My carry pen (about 5 years old) has the plating worn off the metal but the CA finish on the wood is almost like new, other than a few dents from dropping. Here's one of my bog oak pens in CA

 

[TonyL]

Mine, which I will post later, looks like yours. True, some of the "personality" and character is hidden or disguised by the CA, but it is still a nice finish. I will definitely try several finishes. It is pretty cool to hold something that old.

 

[VotTak]

I tried CA, PP, PP with CA... but still cannot figure out what is better.
Full CA? A lot of layers and looks amazingly glossy and nice... Very good (and probably one of the best) gift pen, no doubt about it. But I'm loosing wood character.
PP? I see wood character... in 1 month it is not glossy at all...
PP with thin CA... that is much better... I gave it a very heavy test. Carried it all over with me in a pocket, with keys, screwdrivers and other sharp and not so sharp objects... It survived for about 4 months... it is beaten but still look not that bad.

 

[TonyL]

Well you tried what I was thinking of: PP with thin CA..so I can gross that off the list.

I am going to try about 10 light coats of thin CA..no accelerator and just enjoy it.

Here's the one that I posted in the SOYP:
2 coats BLO
About 8 coats drooled on medium CA
2 coats of thin CA (for good luck LOL).
I used accelerator. CA was EZ Bond.
All dry sanding to 800
Buffing wheels
Meguiars 205
Rejex