Finishing with brown paper bag?

[Ulises Victoria]

Hello my fellow pen-turners and before everything else, a very HAPPY NEW 2012, full of new ideas and turning successes. Now to my question:

I read somewhere that brown paper bag is an excellent material for finishing your pens. Is this true? What grit would it be equivalent to? like 6000 or 12000 Micro Mesh? Is it better to use on the wood directly or over the last coat of finish?

My local market bags in plastic bags only. :crying:

 

[snyiper]

It is called burnishing and I believe done on wood blanks only. I would suggest you turn some scrap wood and see it you like the results. I dont believe it has a grit per se.

 

[Mossy]

Hi, I have been using car T-Cut compound to finish my pens they come up very well.

 

[SonOfMartin]

I do it as a final 'polish' sanding step - referred to as burnishing above. It's equivalent to 10,000 grit MM. I use it all the time and like the results. Once I use the brown paper bag, I then apply my finish.

I've never tried it after polish or CA - so I'd suggest testing in your own lab environment.

I cut the paper into a strip about 2 inches wide by 6 inches long then fold it into a pad about 2X2. I then pinch it between my thumb and forefinger while applying pressure (it can get hot).

This gives you several surfaces / pads to use before you cut another strip.

Give it a try.

 

[moke]

It is called burnishing and I believe done on wood blanks only. I would suggest you turn some scrap wood and see it you like the results. I dont believe it has a grit per se.

+1 - I have used paper bags for years for various things, but do not care for the look of burnishing. The gentleman who taught me woodworking was like a grandfather to me and always used a paperbag as a "final" sand type of affair..then he buffed or polished. While I have a very fond place in my heart for him and subsequently paperbags, it really seems to me to be our equivilant for MM, only cheaper and now days harder to find.

 

[rherrell]

I use paper bags for burnishing pen barrels after I dye them with food coloring. You can't use sandpaper after you dye or it will get removed. The brown paper knocks down the grain that gets raised by the dye...works great!