Bethleham Olive Wood ---pens

[Gary Max]

This was going to be a post with the first 5 Olive wood pens that I made.
Neighbor stopped in and now it's the three that I have left.
I think the ones without any real grain are going to be hard to sell.
I read all the post I could find before I started this. The wife already likes the sawdust that I am saving.

 

[DCBluesman]

Beautiful pens, Gary. I can only imagine the "ones that got away".

 

[PenWorks]

Nice pens Gary, I will quit whinning, I got my BOW today. That was a quick two pen sale, another happy customer. Wouldn't be surprised when his friends see them, the others will go too. grain or no grain. I like the middle one the best and it has less grain than the other. Anthony

 

[jkirkb94]

Great looking pens, Gary. My supply of BOW is getting low and I may have to order some more. Seems they are getting popular. Kirk[8D]

 

[Gary Max]

Thanks---it's real nice to sale them---of course I ain't getting the big bucks but I am making a little. I am selling these for $25.00 each. Makes it possible to keep sending money to Arizona to Bill to buy more kits.

 

[WoodChucker]

Gary, great job! Thats one of my favorite woods for pens. Thanks for sharing.

R.T.

 

[Tom McMillan]

Very nice job!!! And that is my favorite wood too---just a dream to work with (my experience).

 

[pssmith]

Very good looking pens, Gary! I have some blanks cut and bored and ready to go for a couple of cigar-styled pens which it looks like I'll be turning some tonight...

 

[Fred in NC]

Great looking pens, Gary. I do like BOW, and what is even more important, the customers like it too!

 

[dougle40]

Very nice pens Gary . I've never worked with BOW but from all I've heard here , I'll have to try some !

 

[Fred in NC]

Dough, besides the beautiful figure, I like the fine grain of BOW. It is a bit oily, which makes sense ! It cuts real well, and takes a nice polish.

 

[dougle40]

Dough

Fred ,
I only wish that my name was Dough and that I had a lot more of it !![][][][] LOL

 

[Gary Max]

Fred what are you useing for a polish on these pens???
I have figured out that different woods like different kinds of finish.
I have some of the Pres's polish on the way.

 

[Fred in NC]

Gary, I am using my regular finish. Shellac for sanding sealer at 600, and PolyCrylic after sanding. Finish with TSW (or Pres's polish, if you want to call it that way). The olive/ebony pen I posted was finished this way (it is in my photo album).

The truth is that BOW is oily and dense enough that in reality you don't need much of a finish. Try sanding sealer at 600, and after you sand all the way, apply some TSW, let dry, and buff.

 

[wayneis]

Gary nice work. I've got so I don't use any finish on olive wood either. Also with olive wood I don't sand as far either. I do uoe MM but only untill I just get a nice kind of dull glow. Then I soak good with Watco Danish Oil and follow directions on the can which are something like Flood with oil and let it sit for about twenty five minutes and then flood again and let it sit for about ten to fifteen minutes and then after wipping dry with a soft cloth I let it dry good and then lightly buff and put on a coat or two of Ren. wax. One thing with using oil as a finish with no sealer is that you need to wipe every little while because the oil will weep, and if you let it dry without wipping it will leave tiny shiny dots all over. Say that three times fast. This is the same finish that I use sometimes on Cocobolo and it works very well on any of the high oily woods.

Wayne

 

[pssmith]

Wayne,

You have any pics of that finish on the Olive wood? I'd like to see it. I was planning on concocting a homemade friction polish (via Fairfield's article) and finishing it with a little Renaissance.

 

[Gary Max]

Patrick --my Olive wood pens have three different finishes.
They have a shine but so far I ain't got the correct finish on them.
I am waiting on my TWS to arrive before I try any more.
Being new at this myself I work very hard at making the very best pen I can. I have made about 60 pens so far and have come a long ways. But I still see lots of room for improvment.
I like Wayne's post also.

 

[Travlr7]

Beautiful wood. One of these days, I'm going to have to open up the pocketbook; air out the moths; and get some of it![]

Makes, with your help some very nice pens.[]

Bruce