I sometimes forget that not everyone has had the benefit of being a member of the IAP since the introduction of TSW. With that in mind, here's a detailed primer on how to use it.
Like any other finish or top coat, the key to success lies in preparing the surface of the blank.
The surface finish can be no better than that of the wood under it.-Russ Fairfield
Rather than go into painful detail on the subject of surface prep, I refer you to
Finishing Secrets by Russ Fairfield
Let it suffice to say that if you plan on putting any finish on a pen, you will want to use some kind of sanding sealer on open grained or porous wood. If you don't, the waxes (or other compounds) will fill in the pores and grain. Depending on the wood, I use different substances for sealing from thinned lacquer to CA to shellac. Regardless of the product of choice, you need to follow the process of sealing, sanding back down to wood, and re-sealing until you have a surface which is blemish-free and perfectly level. Once you have done this, there are no pores and there is no grain for excess wax, oil or other substance to collect in. (Finishing details are at Russ's site or you may wish to try Don Ward's, James Mann's or any of the other finishing articles in our library.)
Next, whether applying TSW over bare wood or over a finish, the steps are simple but critical. This is not the time to skip steps.
First, your project must be dry and <b>fully cured</b>. Apply TSW with a clean, soft cloth. Make sure every bit of the piece is totally covered, then immediately wipe off the excess with another area of the clean cloth. <b>Do not</b> leave excess product on the wood. After 45-60 seconds, you will notice that the TSW is hazing (going cloudy). At this point, you will need to hand buff with another section of clean, soft cloth, or buff on a clean wheel. <b>Do not</b> allow TSW to totally dry before buffing! There are many ways to buff, but I prefer high-speed, light pressure. The entire power buffing process for a pen shouldn't take longer than 30-40 seconds...hand buffing may take a little longer depending on the level of gloss you are looking for. I generally power buff in about 15-20 seconds, but I've been using TSW for a year and a half on hundreds of pens.
Immediately after buffing, inspect your pen. Here's where I put on Mag-Eyes (a magnifying glass will do) and look for any spots that are still hazy. If you find any hazy spots, a little more buffing is required. Once you have removed all haze, the pen should be set aside for a few minutes to let the surface continue to cure. If you wish to add more TSW to increase the depth of appearance of your finish, wait 1-2 hours before re-applying. Follow the same method detailed above.
Examples of TSW on open pored and/or unfinished woods:
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Bethlehem olivewood - no finish +TSW
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Cocobolo - Lacquer +TSW
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Irish Bog Oak - Lacquer +TSW
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Snakewood - No finish +TSW
If you have further questions, please feel free to email me. [8D]