finish failure

[dozuki]

i made some pens for co-workers out of dyed maple with a CA finish. I am a police officer as are the people I work with so blue is a very popular color. Now after several months it looks like the finish is coming off in little patches. Mostly where you would grip the pen. Did I finish it wrong or is this just something that the CA finish does? If it always does this is spray lacquer more long lasting? I stained the wood blue using prisma tint markers.
Thanks for the help in advance. Also any ideas on repairs would be great.

 

[Rudy Vey]

Originally posted by dozuki
<br />i made some pens for co-workers out of dyed maple with a CA finish. I am a police officer as are the people I work with so blue is a very popular color. Now after several months it looks like the finish is coming off in little patches. Mostly where you would grip the pen. Did I finish it wrong or is this just something that the CA finish does? If it always does this is spray lacquer more long lasting? I stained the wood blue using prisma tint markers.
Thanks for the help in advance. Also any ideas on repairs would be great.

Have not done too may CA finished pens, but I had observed the same. Especially with stabilized wood or wood that different"densities", like burls. The finish does come off after some time in little pieces. I stopped using CA since the results are not very good to reproduce and mainly that I prefer the real, say, wood touch, if I am not using stabilized blanks. I personally do not like the idea to make a wooden pen and then cover it with a plastic - I also do like plastic, i.e. acrylic pens, and I make quite a few of them.

 

[dozuki]

I think i have come to the same conclusion. I have swithched to the beel buffing system and that makes the pen shine line a new penny and you get the feel of the wood. I am going to try a spray lacquer also. the more options available for finishing the better