The more I read the threads on this board the more I find out I don't know. Explain something to me if you can. If I turn a stablized blank, what reason can you give to use a finish other than friction polish?
To ansawer this would takes volumes and yet the answer is simply put
There doesn't have to be one.
What do you expect out of a pen finish?Something indestructable, good looking, easy to apply, impervious to harsh chemicals and low maintainance?
Forget it, it isn't out there.
CA or plexi may be hard as nails but it doesn't have the depth of finish as a multiple coat rubbed lacquer.
Friction finish (Sealer, shelac and wax as in Mylands 3 step) is relatively easy to apply but not as long wearing as other finishes.
If you bought an expensive piece of wood furniture would you not clean and polish it on a regular basis and give it an occasional coat of wax?
Well there goes the low mantanance aspect.
Stabilized woods are just wood with plastic in the pores.The plastic may buff up and shine but there is still wood on the surface.No matter how much plastic is forced into the fibers you still ahve an organic material that needs some type of protection.
A little over a year ago I made a pen called "Stirred not shaken"
I glued it together wit CA glue and then covered it with thin CA glue and "stabilized it with mre CA as I turned it.
I never put a final coat of CA as a finish.
Take a look at the picture I posted.The original blank was a piece of flaming box eleder(with no flame)
Do you see any of the original blank?There aren't many pieces to see.Every glue joint in that blank is CA and the other woods are bloodwood, purple heart and a little yellow heart.The strips were glued on both sides with CA and clamped.That pen has as much CA in it as wood.
The point I am trying to make is I never put a finish on the pen because it shined like a new penny. But after time the "wood" takes over and the shininess wears away. I say wears tongue in cheek because I Don't carry this pen, it just sits on the table.I give it a coat of TSW and buff it and the shines comes right backbut not the same as if it had a "finish"
WE ahve become used to "factory perfect" finishes made by manufacturers on semidisposable objects.
The pens we make I like to think are more like a Stienwas that sits in the parlor, I gets used but not abused and we take care of it because we enjoy it.
If you are striving to compete with a Walmart pen, save your money and buy yuour pens at Walmart.
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