Natural feeling finish

[Dan Masshardt]

Somebody wants me to make them a pen that will have a fairly natural look and feel and take on a patina over time.


What would you do for finish?

 

[StephenM]

Do an oily or very hard wood like desert ironwood, lignum vitae or the like which will naturally polish by use instead of something that will have a finish that will get worn away with use.

 

[mrcook4570]

Most of the 'feel' of a finish is actually interpreted by the eye. Take two identical pens finished in exactly the same manner (let's say CA), buff one to a super high gloss, but leave the other with a matte finish. The super high gloss pen will 'feel' cold and unnatural to some while the matte pen will be warm and natural. However, the finish is actually the same. The difference in the 'feel' is what your eye tells your brain - has nothing to do with the actual feel.

Now, as far as the patina goes - I would go with either boiled linseed oil or danish oil. However, most of the 'patina' on a pen will actually be dirt and grime from one's hands. Anything that is handled frequently will get dirty before it gets a patina.

 

[jttheclockman]

Somebody wants me to make them a pen that will have a fairly natural look and feel and take on a patina over time.


What would you do for finish?

Finish it with a Danish oil and polish to a shine. You will not get an extreme shine but it wil shine. Looks and feels just like wood but will have abit of protection. If it is a light colored wood it will darken but not get grimmy. Good luck.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Timbo]

I agree with StephenM with choosing an oily hardwood and forgoing applying a finish. I'd add Cocobolo, Teak and African blackwood to his list as possibilities.

 

[Displaced Canadian]

Be sure to sand the wood with a very fine grit because then the wood will start to shine on it's own and the polish will last longer.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

Thanks guys. I sanded pretty fine and used some eee. He's happy with the pen.