Favorite brand of paper towels?

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EricRN

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Joined
May 16, 2019
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Hi, What types of paper towels (or other cloth) do folks use for applying the final polish, finish, and wax? I prefer paper towels, for the simple safety reason that they are easy to cut small and fold, minimizing the risk that they catch and get wrapped up around the lathe (and, in the event that they do, they will simply rip and tear, rather than dragging my hand in there as the lathe spins). Maybe that's irrational, but better safe than sorry.

Anyway, the issue I have with them is that they always feel a little coarse, like they are leaving microscratches in the finish. Are there particular brands or types that folks feel are "softer" and better for the final stages of finishing?
 
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Viva plain for polishing and blue Walmart towels from Auto dept. To apply CA have been doing this for many years and got this tip from the members here 15 years ago.
 
Yes, paper towels are abrasive.
I use paper towels only to apply CA. Then wet sanding, plastic polish (cotton T-shirt - parallel to the ways....lathe not running) and on to a buffing wheel with a compound followed by a clean wheel.
 
I'm an old miser. I hate wasting good CA so I apply with foam or other applicators that don't absorb it. I lived in Japan the first 6 years of pen turning using CA, and it was much more expensive there and came in much smaller containers. Learned not to waste it.

Otherwise, I do keep blue and Bounty in my shop.
 
Scott blue shop towels.
IMHO, most paper towels are too thin and rough. If it starts to smoke, the towel is acting as an accelerator and the CA is hardening
 
Slightly off topic, but I started using microfibre polishing clothes instead of a buffing wheel. I've found it works exceptionally well, given that I don't have to switch out my lathe setup to mount my buffing wheels.
www.canadiantire.ca

Simoniz Microfibre Polishing Towels, 3-pk | Canadian Tire

Ideal for buffing and shining delicate surfaces such as instrument panels, stereos and navigation screens | Canadian Tire
www.canadiantire.ca www.canadiantire.ca
 
Like lee above I use foam to apply the CA, no chance of fibers getting into the CA and you use far less CA. I think it also applies a more even coat as it distributes the CA better.
 
I use mostly Bounty for CA application. The half sheets are less bulky and liable to catch. For polishing I use white shop rags I buy in large quantity from Menards.
 
Craft foam sheet. A 9 x 12 inch piece costs 88 cents at my local Walmart. They are 2 mm thick. I am still using my first one after about 40-50 pens or so. I cut small rectangles from the large sheet and use them.

I stopped using paper towels as soon as I found craft foam sheets. They don't absorb the CA and make it much easier to apply a smooth coat.

Word of warning: Two drops of CA is enough for one application on a typical pen. The drops of CA sit on the surface of the craft foam until they touch your pen blank. They don't soak in like paper towels.

For me, it is hard to use up the CA before it expires anyway. Even though it saves CA, the primary reasons I like craft foam are ease of application and better, smoother results.
 
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