Dull finish problem?

[Grizzlyss]

Hi All, I have been using tung oil as my finish for pens, and have finally came across a problem. I made a Mont Blanc style pen out of Cocobolo, it had a really unique grain structure, which is part of the reason I used it. Well after putting on a dozen coats of tung oil there are two areas (one on each piece) that constantly turn out a dull brown color. The rest of the wood is a nice orange/red color with nice black grain seperating the dull brown area. I doubt if it is the bark as it was just as hard as the rest of the wood, and not sure if it is the sapwood. My question is could I put a CA/BLO finish over top of the tung oil(pure tung oil that is) to make it all shine equally? Are there any other suggestions that I could use? I am fairly new to this and trying to learn from every post. Thanks for all help.
Sheldon

 

[davidrei]

I haven't tried a tung oil finish, but with the other finishing methods I've used (CA, CA/BLO, Deft spray lacquer and Hut Crystal Coat) is seems pretty consistent that dull spots usually come from areas of the finish that cured at different rates, usually caused by a reaction with the oil in the wood (your milage may vary). You might try sanding the finish off, and using Denatured Alcohol (DNA) prior to refinishing. This would get most of the excess oil off and ensure that what oil is left is evenly distributed over the surface of the pen. I wouldn't try putting a CA finish directly over the Tung oil, CA and oil generally don't play well together.

 

[Grizzlyss]

Thanks Dave for your response. I was thinking about having to do that after reading Russ' finishing post. I am just not sure if I want to go through all that, as this is just going to be a personal pen for work use. But then again if it looks good it might lead to some sales, so I might just refinish it. Thanks again for the info.
Sheldon