My thoughts on no pen finish

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Ron in Drums PA

Ron in Drums PA

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I've been pretty busy lately and have a few moments before a very hectic day.

I was writing a "To Do" list for myself and stopped for a moment to think what else I needed to do today.

That was when I took notice of the pen I was using. It was the third or fourth pen I made (European Round Top with BL Maple Burl). At the time, I wasn't overly pleased with it so I didn't waste any time applying a finish.

I use this pen daily and it been tossed around on my desk, my pocket and car for almost 2 years. I've really become attached to this pen, I love the way it looks and feels.

I think I may start making pens with no finish.
 
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I kind of feel the same way. The first pen I made only had BriWax as a finish and I have used it 5 days a week for the past 3 or so years and I just love the look and feel of it.
 
One of the first pens I made was a cigar in bird's eye maple, a gift for a friend at work. I used a friction finish, and after a few months it was worn off. 5 or more years later the finish is totally gone, replaced by oils from the skin and resulting in a beautiful patina. My friend loves the way the finish turned out, and so do I. But I don't know how to get that finish without using the pen every day for several years. Reminds me of a briar pipe that's been used a long time, the same kind of patina that looks soft and warm.
txbob
 
My daily carry pen...is a reject.

It is finished with Tung oil but most if not all of the finish since wore off and I love the feel of it.

It stays in my pant pocket (with my car key, etc.) for about 2 years now and still look descent.
 
I am still a newbie at this pen thing and probably will be for sometime. It seems to me that people who love wood (like most of us), love the feel and look wood and not the finish that the general public prefers. Lets face it, most consumers cannot tell the difference between a solid piece of ash, a veneer or a plastic look a like because generally, they all have a plastic coating on them and they feel the same. The consumer loves the gloss we love the wood!
 
You have the oldest of all wood finishes on those pens, a hand-rubbed finish that is the accumulation of body oils, dirt, and grime from daily use; and polished to a sofy gloss by abrasion.

I always find it interesting that many of the pens we use daily for any length of time have made the transition from "finished" to "bare" without our being aware that the original finish has worn off. We brag about the durability of a finish that is no longer there.
 
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