Finishing Stabilized Wood?

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I called Constant about a stabilized blank I got from Lazerlinz. He recommended a standard CA finish. He said the benefit far out weighed just polishing. I followed his advice. It turned out great.
 
With or without, both work for me. In my experience (others will swear otherwise) the oils in one's hands add a nice sheen to the material when it does not have a finish. I like the effect. Shiny with a finish is a good look, too.
 
If you're after a high shine, I've found that most stabilized woods polish up better with a finish. If you like a softer finish, I think the stabilized wood will hold up fine without additional finish.

Just because it's stabilized, however, doesn't mean you get a perfectly smooth surface. I still like to fill the "grain" with thin CA or other sealer.

-Barry
 
Not all stabilized woods are created equal either. I made a sketch pencil out of stabilized Buckeye Burl, no finish, just micromeshed, and it had a great shine to it. It is still in EXCELLENT shape, slightly duller, but it is a "shop" pencil, and also spent several months last summer "lost" in the lawn under the picnic table, and was only found after I demolished the table (it was 20 years old...) After that sort of abuse, I can't see any finish making much difference.

I've also had other stabilized woods that were nowhere near as consistently penetrated with the material, and the material used was very different.... I have no doubt that they would not survive a summer in the elements nearly as well...
 
In my experience ca will leave a glossier and more even finish. Polishing the blank still looks nice, but it's a drop more satin, and you often still see little grain patterns and swivels. That's not to say that one is better: i know people that find ca to "plastichy", and stab. Wood more "real"
 
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