Finishing Stabilized Blanks

[Ed Weingarden]

I used a stabilized blank on one occasion in the past. It was for a pizza cutter handle, so I wanted to make sure it had a durable finish. I used an oil based polyurethane; what a disaster. I didn't realize that the poly would not be absorbed into stabilized wood. I recently purchased some stabilized pen blanks and I'm wondering if they will need a finish? If so, what are the options? TIA.

 

[NJturner]

I used a stabilized blank on one occasion in the past. It was for a pizza cutter handle, so I wanted to make sure it had a durable finish. I used an oil based polyurethane; what a disaster. I didn't realize that the poly would not be absorbed into stabilized wood. I recently purchased some stabilized pen blanks and I'm wondering if they will need a finish? If so, what are the options? TIA.

With stabilized blanks, I recommend a good flexible CA or optimally GluBoost. With stabilized materials, as well as with any resin based material their is no absorption, it is just a laid on finish, so as you found out an oil based product just gets messy. Sometimes you can use a mixed CA/Linseed oil finish which is called by a few different names, but I think you will get most suggestions of CA - just make sure the label says 'flexible' in the description otherwise you can suffer cracking or chipping of the finish.

Good luck!
Kevin

 

[Mortalis]

When I stabilize with Cactus Juice sometimes I find that after I have turned the blank I just need to sand the blank with the set of micro finish pads and the blanks shine like it had coats of CA on it.
As @NJturner said above some coats of CA will help protect it.
The Cactus Juice leaves the blank basically like a resin material. I then treat as such.

 

[d_bondi]

Adding to what Kevin (@NJturner) and @Mortalis have said...

I also use CA, but not only for the protection. Stabilizing doesn't fill all the little checks, cracks, bug holes, etc. in highly figured burl wood, so the CA process takes care of that too!