CA finish on Antler razor handle

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T

tazhunter0

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May 6, 2013
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209
Location
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I do about 90% of my turning in antler. I have never had a problem with doing a CA finish on them or with it coming off. Got contacted today by a customer that the finish was flaking off of his razor handle. I had just replaced this handle with another one because of the same problem. I thought it was a fluke the first time and replaced it. Still got to talk to him.

My routine when putting a finish on my antler after turning is:
1) wipe down with boiled line seed
2) 3-5 coats of thin CA
3) micro-mesh thru all
4) 10-12 coats of med CA
5) micro-mesh thru all
6) place on blank holder till assembly.

Question is: what am I doing wrong or missing or has anybody else run into this problem?

Thanks
Chris
 
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Water soluble? Did not know that. Any suggestions on what could be used for a finish that would not come off with use?

I have sold approximately 100-125 razors in the past 2 yrs and this is the only one that I have heard of having a problem like this.
 
I make a lot of pens out of antler, finish them with CA, 2 coats of thin followed by 4 coats of medium, never had a problem. My edc pen is a bolt action with deer antler. Try the ca without wiping them down with blo, the oil will cause the ca to not stick.
 
My guess is that is a water problem. I don't make razors anymore (glad t hear that you found a way to sell them, I couldn't), but when I did make razors out of antler or wood I didn't put a finish on them, just buffed them good. I doubt that they looked good after several months of using them, but there was no finish to flake off.

Try running CA finished piece of antler or wood through a dishwasher, it will flake off, at least it did on a pizza cutters I made.
 
I wonder about the linseed oil not letting it get a good bond. Linseed oil on wood and linseed oil on antler may be two completely different animals.
 
I agree do not need to use BLO. Yes, CA is water soluble! Also think using too many coats of CA. My reasoning is simple too many coats of any film finish softens the final finish. Total of either 13 or 17 coats of CA kind of extreme. How long does one coat of CA take to fully harden?

If must use CA as a finish reduce the number of coats, but sand your antler to at least 1,500 to 2,000 grit before applying a finish.

I would not use any finishing material on antler. Would dry & wet sand all the way to 3,000 without skipping any grit essentially burnishing the antler. Then use buffing compound and call it quits.

I do not know any finishing material that would hold up given the environment a safety razor will experience.

That's my two cents!
 
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