CA/WO finish?

[badger]

Tonight was my first attempt at finishing with CA.

You can see my pens here:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=32522

Having read about the finish all the time on this forum, I decided to give it a try. I don't have any thin CA, or BLO actually, so I just made do with what I had. Medium CA, and Walnut Oil.

I applied 4-5 drops of CA on a paper towel and applied to the sanded blank. (I got down to 600 grit) Then I took another towel, and dabbed some Walnut Oil on it, applied to CA, and did the rubbing back and forth quickly down the length thing I read about. It quickly shined up, and cured. I repeated it two more times for a total of three coats. Not sure if I needed more, but it looked pretty good. Also, it doesn't feel very plastic like which I had read about. It feels pretty nice.

So, it seems that walnut oil works, but what's the difference? Is it ok? Any comments on my technique? Still learning this one.

badger

 

[rlharding]

Yes, it works. You could also use other oils. With walnut oil I don't think one can use the pure oil because it takes a long time to cure - days/weeks depending on conditions - Temp. I have used Mahoney's walnut oil with no problem. I also use a varethene (sp? my spell check says ruthann!!!) instead of CA. Under the 'finishing' category I have ready many, many various discussions about all the various methods to do a finish. When I did try the CA/Blo I was actually putting the blo and CA on a cloth at the same time and then wiping on. It worked fine.

 

[badger]

Thanks for reminding me, yes, it's Mahoney's Walnut Oil.

 

[rhahnfl]

I liked the segmented pen in your pics. Nice color combination IMHO.

 

[GaryMGg]

Brander,
I use Walnut Oil quite a bit rather than BLO when I use an oil.
Just make sure you burnish it so that it cures or let is sit 'til it does.
You don't want wet oil seeping back to the surface and hazing the CA later.
The pens look good.

 

[badger]

Originally posted by GaryMGg

Brander,
I use Walnut Oil quite a bit rather than BLO when I use an oil.
Just make sure you burnish it so that it cures or let is sit 'til it does.
You don't want wet oil seeping back to the surface and hazing the CA later.
The pens look good.

Can you elaborate? I was worried about oil seeping out.

I used it right after the CA, and rubbed it with a paper towel till nothing showed on the towel. I'm hoping it won't come back to haunt me.

badger

 

[GaryMGg]

If you got a thorough soaking with CA and sealed the wood, it shouldn't be a problem. When the oil is used first to pop the grain, then you have to really make sure to cure it or wait for it to cure before applying CA.
Using oil after CA, as I understand it, reacts to cure the CA faster.

 

[badger]

Thanks, that sounds like what happened. I'll check them over the next couple days and see how they do.

 

[karlkuehn]

Do they add driers to various flavors of the other oils, tung, walnut, etc.?

Seems like BLO takes forever to dry on its own, I can't imagine using raw stuff.

I did accidentally grab my bottle of Mylands friction polish the other day instead of the BLO (I keep them on the same shelf, in the same type of generic bottle). FWIW, that works to kick the CA, too. A little too well, actually, and the smell is atrocious. [B)]

 

[RONB]

I only use walnut oil with no problems.