For what it's worth....I've resolved myself to a few methods that work for me so I stick with them
- I never use anything on the wood other than what I am finishing it with (CA, oil, etc.). Maybe a sanding sealer for very oily woods, but nothing else. Why add more chemicals to a natural wood than you have to?
- I keep my blanks stored in the house, not the shop. This way they sit in a consistent environment. Severe temperature swings - especially cold - are an enemy of small pieces of wood like pen blanks.
- I have enough blanks on hand that they usually sit for a few months before they get used. Sadly, far more than I will ever use...err! By then, they have dried out completely and are pretty stable, not too much movement left in them. Often I will drill the blank and let it sit for a day or two just to give it one last chance.
- I never use accelerator. Never. To me, that's like stretching a balloon back and forth across the wood. Thin CA dries fast enough for my use. Medium gives me a chance to re-fill my coffee.
This has helped me avoid a few problems. I didn't figure this out because I'm smart, I did it because I have had more than my fair share of "learning opportunities".