# best pen finish



## beep119

Hello all and Merry Christmas!!!
Just a quick question..
I have been doing CA finishing on my wood pens, its a nice hard long lasting finish, but I find it is good for one type of finish...but I also like the finish and easy just using the two hut bars.
I have read some stuff about people saying they use EEE shine and then Shellawax...who likes this finish? Compared to CA?

So I am asking what finishes you guys/gals use as a final finish on wood pens?
I am looking for other finish techniques to try so wondering what else is popular.

Thank you for all input
S


----------



## JimB

You can use any finish really. It just depends on what you like. Sometimes no finish at all works. In addition to ca/BLO I use WOP (wipe on Polyurethane) on many pens. The poly takes much longer because I wait 24 hours between coats and do anywhere from 3 to 7 coats depending on the look I want.

I use Poly on many of my other turnings as well.


----------



## beep119

never even thought of poly...i will have to give that a try also,
do you have any pics of some that have been done?
Or any videos you know of that show how its done?


----------



## TonyL

Les Elm uses Poly beautifully. It's either in the Library or simply google poly pen finish and  les elm.  See his pics too! Great stuff.


----------



## MTViper

Les does a beautiful job with his poly dipping method.  He's glad to share the process, too.

I used to use EEE and Shellawax but recently switched to Dr. Pen's Plus and love it.  I do CA finishes on a very few types of pens, primarily laser cut blanks.  I'm not a big fan of the plastic look and feel.  I have left several Dymalux and scented blanks unfinished.  I like leaving Thuya burl unfinished because of the sweet smell.  I've also buffed a few with the Beall buffing system waxes.

Bottom line, there are lots of options, no strict rules for everyone, and it comes down to what you prefer.  If you're happy with it, it's right for you.

Steve


----------



## JimB

beep119 said:


> never even thought of poly...i will have to give that a try also,
> do you have any pics of some that have been done?
> Or any videos you know of that show how its done?



I do it off the lathe. Place a drop or two on a lint free cloth and wipe it on going the length of the pen blank. Wait 24 hours and repeat. If the previous coat doesn't feel smooth I use a little 0000 steel wool to smooth it. Each additional coat goes on smoother than the previous. I do very thin coats so it doesn't lump up. WOP is thinner then regular poly. I usually don't need to sand, micro mesh or polish afterwards. If you do then be sure it is fully cured/dry.

It doesn't work well on very oily woods such as cocobolo.


----------



## Lenny

Another finish that can be very durable, though you won't find it in any hardware store, is plexiglass. You dissolve pieces of plexiglass in acetone to a liquid state. Les has an article here ... http://www.penturners.org/forum/att...glass-finish-plexiglass%20pen%20finish[1].pdf


----------



## beep119

WOP ?

I do it off the lathe. Place a drop or two on a lint free cloth and wipe it on going the length of the pen blank. Wait 24 hours and repeat. If the previous coat doesn't feel smooth I use a little 0000 steel wool to smooth it. Each additional coat goes on smoother than the previous. I do very thin coats so it doesn't lump up. WOP is thinner then regular poly. I usually don't need to sand, micro mesh or polish afterwards. If you do then be sure it is fully cured/dry.

It doesn't work well on very oily woods such as cocobolo.[/QUOTE]


----------



## JimB

WOP is Wipe On Polyurethane.


----------



## WriteON

beep119 said:


> I have read some stuff about people saying they use EEE shine and then Shellawax...who likes this finish? Compared to CA?



Easy to use. Finish is like furniture. I really  like it. CA creates a nice durable finish but....CA is sloppy and quite unhealthy to breath. Kills my eyes. I do not like being exposed to it. That's just me. I have been using eee & shell for 2years plus. I might give TUNG oil a shot for Bullet pens.


----------



## maxwell_smart007

As long as it's hard, shiny, and durable - they all will tick the box in the 'good' category. 

To determine what's 'best', I'd add in three addenda: Safest, quickest, easiest to apply...

For me, that makes the 'best' finish CA.  For you, it might vary based on your experience and comfort with different materials, finishes, and methods.


----------



## bgio13

After reading Les Elms' dipping method tutorial I decided to try it for myself. I have been using a different product than Les and I'm still trying to perfect the application process but I'm getting closer. This is a Cocobolo Triton that I completed last year. 

Bill


----------



## galoot_loves_tools

beep119 said:


> Hello all and Merry Christmas!!!
> Just a quick question..
> I have been doing CA finishing on my wood pens, its a nice hard long lasting finish, but I find it is good for one type of finish...but I also like the finish and easy just using the two hut bars.
> I have read some stuff about people saying they use EEE shine and then Shellawax...who likes this finish? Compared to CA?
> 
> So I am asking what finishes you guys/gals use as a final finish on wood pens?
> I am looking for other finish techniques to try so wondering what else is popular.
> 
> Thank you for all input
> S



I stopped using CA a while back after discovering that some of my earliest pens were developing cracks in the finish. Now I dip the blanks in a polyurethane wood finish, Enduro, from General Finishes. It dries to the touch in an hour and hardens overnight. It resists wear very well, better than CA and takes a high polish.


----------



## Lenny

Tom, what were you using for CA ?There were cracking issues with a certain brand a time back. Just curious if it could be related.


----------



## galoot_loves_tools

Lenny said:


> Tom, what were you using for CA ?There were cracking issues with a certain brand a time back. Just curious if it could be related.



I don't recall. Which brand was known to be cracking? I'm just curious, I was becoming sensitized to CA, another reason I switched to Enduro.


----------



## Drewboy22

galoot_loves_tools said:


> beep119 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hello all and Merry Christmas!!!
> Just a quick question..
> I have been doing CA finishing on my wood pens, its a nice hard long lasting finish, but I find it is good for one type of finish...but I also like the finish and easy just using the two hut bars.
> I have read some stuff about people saying they use EEE shine and then Shellawax...who likes this finish? Compared to CA?
> 
> So I am asking what finishes you guys/gals use as a final finish on wood pens?
> I am looking for other finish techniques to try so wondering what else is popular.
> 
> Thank you for all input
> S
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I stopped using CA a while back after discovering that some of my earliest pens were developing cracks in the finish. Now I dip the blanks in a polyurethane wood finish, Enduro, from General Finishes. It dries to the touch in an hour and hardens overnight. It resists wear very well, better than CA and takes a high polish.
Click to expand...


When dipping how do you keep the inside of the tube from filling up?


----------



## galoot_loves_tools

Drewboy22 said:


> galoot_loves_tools said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beep119 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hello all and Merry Christmas!!!
> Just a quick question..
> I have been doing CA finishing on my wood pens, its a nice hard long lasting finish, but I find it is good for one type of finish...but I also like the finish and easy just using the two hut bars.
> I have read some stuff about people saying they use EEE shine and then Shellawax...who likes this finish? Compared to CA?
> 
> So I am asking what finishes you guys/gals use as a final finish on wood pens?
> I am looking for other finish techniques to try so wondering what else is popular.
> 
> Thank you for all input
> S
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I stopped using CA a while back after discovering that some of my earliest pens were developing cracks in the finish. Now I dip the blanks in a polyurethane wood finish, Enduro, from General Finishes. It dries to the touch in an hour and hardens overnight. It resists wear very well, better than CA and takes a high polish.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> When dipping how do you keep the inside of the tube from filling up?
Click to expand...


I mount the blank on bushings and put them on a 1/4" threaded rod with nylon nuts compressing the bushings onto the blank. I dip the threaded rod with the blank into Enduro, hang it and let it just barely dry to the touch, reverse the blank on the rod and dip it a second time. Then I hang the rod on a wooden rack that is placed on a oil-filled space heater and let it bake overnight.

This is not my setup but mine is very similar:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f28/craft-coat-dipping-method-128657/#post1728832


----------



## Drewboy22

galoot_loves_tools said:


> Drewboy22 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> galoot_loves_tools said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> beep119 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hello all and Merry Christmas!!!
> Just a quick question..
> I have been doing CA finishing on my wood pens, its a nice hard long lasting finish, but I find it is good for one type of finish...but I also like the finish and easy just using the two hut bars.
> I have read some stuff about people saying they use EEE shine and then Shellawax...who likes this finish? Compared to CA?
> 
> So I am asking what finishes you guys/gals use as a final finish on wood pens?
> I am looking for other finish techniques to try so wondering what else is popular.
> 
> Thank you for all input
> S
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I stopped using CA a while back after discovering that some of my earliest pens were developing cracks in the finish. Now I dip the blanks in a polyurethane wood finish, Enduro, from General Finishes. It dries to the touch in an hour and hardens overnight. It resists wear very well, better than CA and takes a high polish.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> When dipping how do you keep the inside of the tube from filling up?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> I mount the blank on bushings and put them on a 1/4" threaded rod with nylon nuts compressing the bushings onto the blank. I dip the threaded rod with the blank into Enduro, hang it and let it just barely dry to the touch, reverse the blank on the rod and dip it a second time. Then I hang the rod on a wooden rack that is placed on a oil-filled space heater and let it bake overnight.
> 
> This is not my setup but mine is very similar:
> http://www.penturners.org/forum/f28/craft-coat-dipping-method-128657/#post1728832
Click to expand...


Thanks, that cleared up a bunch of questions


----------



## Fireengines

I believe wood should look like wood and not like plastic slip covers on a sofa.  

For the most part, I turn historic woods.  I use Doctor's Woodshop Pens Plus on these pens.  I want the folks who purchase the pens to experience history not cover it up.


----------



## Drewboy22

Fireengines said:


> I believe wood should look like wood and not like plastic slip covers on a sofa.
> 
> For the most part, I turn historic woods.  I use Doctor's Woodshop Pens Plus on these pens.  I want the folks who purchase the pens to experience history not cover it up.



There are some pens that I leave "natural" and there are some that I want "Shiny".  As the pen maker, we have that choice.


----------



## JimB

Fireengines said:


> I believe wood should look like wood and not like plastic slip covers on a sofa.
> 
> For the most part, I turn historic woods.  I use Doctor's Woodshop Pens Plus on these pens.  I want the folks who purchase the pens to experience history not cover it up.



If that is what you really want then you shouldn't be putting any finish on the wood. Once you do put on a finish it no longer looks or feels like the original wood.


----------

