ancwoodturnings
Member
Hey guys! Im just starting penturning, and i turned two pens so far that i sanded until smooth and applied laquor. What is the best finish for pens?
What to finish with?
- Thread starter ancwoodturnings
- Start date
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Lenny
Member
Most of us here use CA glue often in combination with Boiled Linseed Oil. Search he IAP library or youtube for videos. That doesn't have to be the ONLY way. Others have success with more traditional finishes as you have tried.
Welcome to IAP!
Welcome to IAP!
Rob73
Member
I've gone though a few different finish types with pens. Friction polish, wax, lacquer, poly, and CA. Out of all that I have done I would say CA is the most durable. I can't seem to master it though. Sometimes it comes out great, other times I have issues. This weekend I'm going to try wood turners finish.
bastallard
Member
IMHO CA is the best for pens and there are many ways to apply it, but you can use any finish you want.
NotURMailman
Member
If you have the patience and skill to get a good lacquer finish, I say stick with it.
CA is very durable and can be super glossy with a lot of depth, but you loose the feel of wood.
Wood Turner's Finish dries fast and looks nice, but should be alowed to cure for 24 hours before buffing/polishing.
Friction polish can look nice and still leaved the pen feeling like it is made of wood. But I don't see it being very durable in the long term.
For all of the above finished, I personally finalize all of my pens with a healthy coat of Johnson's Paste Wax (unless I'm shooting for a satin finish).
There are a lot of finishes to chose from. Some woods and pens will call for different finishes. It's really all about what you want to use and the look and feel you want. I have made maybe 60 pens so far and still have not settled on one "go to" finish.
CA is very durable and can be super glossy with a lot of depth, but you loose the feel of wood.
Wood Turner's Finish dries fast and looks nice, but should be alowed to cure for 24 hours before buffing/polishing.
Friction polish can look nice and still leaved the pen feeling like it is made of wood. But I don't see it being very durable in the long term.
For all of the above finished, I personally finalize all of my pens with a healthy coat of Johnson's Paste Wax (unless I'm shooting for a satin finish).
There are a lot of finishes to chose from. Some woods and pens will call for different finishes. It's really all about what you want to use and the look and feel you want. I have made maybe 60 pens so far and still have not settled on one "go to" finish.
mrcook4570
Member
Ask 100 people this question and you will probably get 103 different answers. All finishes have their pros and cons. You have to weigh each option and decide what is best for the way you wish to present your work and how it will be used.