# How do you like to finish BOW



## Dan Masshardt (Dec 5, 2013)

Bethlehem olive wood.  

I usually use ca but thinking of trying something more natural. 

Opinions...


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## Jim Burr (Dec 5, 2013)

This may apply to you Dan, given your profession. Our Men's Pastor and very long time friend retired earlier this year. Not to re-start the argument, but I have a very large supply of COW and wanted a pen for his retirement with the significant wood. Sanded to 1k then used one coat of WTF to seal everything up then hit it with steelwool so it had an unfinished but smooth appearance. I wanted it to look unfinished because as I wrote in the card, "This pen isn't finished because your ministry is never finished." Just a thought.


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## Dan Masshardt (Dec 5, 2013)

Jim Burr said:


> This may apply to you Dan, given your profession. Our Men's Pastor and very long time friend retired earlier this year. Not to re-start the argument, but I have a very large supply of COW and wanted a pen for his retirement with the significant wood. Sanded to 1k then used one coat of WTF to seal everything up then hit it with steelwool so it had an unfinished but smooth appearance. I wanted it to look unfinished because as I wrote in the card, "This pen isn't finished because your ministry is never finished." Just a thought.



That's cool Jim. I'll try that one of these times.


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## Dan Masshardt (Dec 5, 2013)

I guess I should has posed the question about olivewood in general.  

How do you finish olivewood?


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## Edgar (Dec 5, 2013)

I sand to 600, burnish with shavings, then a coat of Myland's sanding sealer followed by a coat of Myland's friction polish. I've never used CA on BOW because I really like a more natural look to the finished wood - but that's just my personal preference.


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## walshjp17 (Dec 5, 2013)

The same as I finish IBO -- Doctor's Woodshop Walnut oil for sanding through the major grits, followed by Pens Plus (two to three coats) and MM.


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## BeSquare (Dec 5, 2013)

With the natural shine olive wood has when it's sanded it doesn't take much. I usually sand it, give it a spin with walnut oil and then some WTF.


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## kovalcik (Dec 5, 2013)

Sand to 600 + the first 4 MM pads. Then I use a coat of BLO then my standard CA finish.


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## Richard Gibson (Dec 5, 2013)

Sand to 600 using Doctors Walnut Finishing Oil as an emulsifier, then 3-6 coats of Doctors Walnut Oil/Carnauba Wax & Shellac, and finish with 2-3 coats of Doctors Walnut Oil Paste Wax.


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## southernclay (Dec 5, 2013)

walshjp17 said:


> The same as I finish IBO -- Doctor's Woodshop Walnut oil for sanding through the major grits, followed by Pens Plus (two to three coats) and MM.


 

What does IBO mean?


Dan,

I thought Doctor's Woodshop too when I saw your question, I've used it on several bottle stoppers, haven't used it on a pen or BOW but have to imagine it would look great. I like it and Mike was easy to deal with when ordering and with my product questions.


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## Mason Kuettel (Dec 5, 2013)

I use my normal CA method.


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## 1080Wayne (Dec 5, 2013)

Zero finish . Sand to 600 or greater , your preference . If it needs mild cleaning or after a harsh clean , use a couple drops of olive oil on a soft cloth to restore the as new appearance .


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## kovalcik (Dec 5, 2013)

southernclay said:


> I thought Doctor's Woodshop too when I saw your question, I've used it on several bottle stoppers, haven't used it on a pen or BOW but have to imagine it would look great. I like it and Mike was easy to deal with when ordering and with my product questions.



Be careful with Drs. Woodshop on bottle stoppers.  It is shellac based and alcohol  is a solvent for shellac.


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## Dan Masshardt (Dec 5, 2013)

So I decided to forgo the ca on a zen today.  I never took the time before to really appriciate hoe hard and smooth olive gets all by itself.  

Sanded to 800, eee paste wax.  Ren wax.  We'll see what happens.


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## NittanyLion (Dec 5, 2013)

Dan,  I'm getting away from CA more and more....and never use it on BOW, Cocobolo, and a few others.  I use my own mix of 1/3 walnut oil, 1/3 shellac, and 1/3 Caranuba.  I'm very happy with the results.


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## Dan Masshardt (Dec 5, 2013)

NittanyLion said:


> Dan,  I'm getting away from CA more and more....and never use it on BOW, Cocobolo, and a few others.  I use my own mix of 1/3 walnut oil, 1/3 shellac, and 1/3 Caranuba.  I'm very happy with the results.



Sounds like a doctors wood shop type mix  I guess most friction polishes are very similar, whether homemade or purchased   

I've been doing more bacote with friction   Sometimes cocobolo   

I may switch on olive permanently   Jury is still out   

On most domestic woods, I just can't give up CA   Nothing compares for me  stabilized wood polished is pretty good, but not like ca   

It is fun to keep experimenting   

What's nice about a polish is the time savings   And supplies   I'll possibly experiment with wtf more but it doesn't seem any quicker and I like the result less - Personally


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## ed4copies (Dec 5, 2013)

If you have the time and inclination, spray lacquer will make it look "natural" and yet it will not get dirty easily.  At least 5 coats, twice,  and best done on two different days, to give the first coats time to cure.


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## mywoodshopca (Dec 5, 2013)

I left a keychain bare about 5 years ago that I was making for myself out of BOW.   It darkened up a good bit over time but is used on a daily basis. I left a few whisky pens unfinished recently and really like the feel of them.  

Normally I always do a CA finish, but the bare wood is starting to appeal to me


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## avbill (Dec 5, 2013)

1st method:  use CD   then use  0000 steel woods results  gives a natural finish.

2nd method:  use lacquer  then use 0000 steel wool results  gives natural finish 


both 1 & 2  will protect the woods   the steel wood [0000] takes the shine off the finish  ( lacquer takes 30+ day to really harden. for the best finish 


WTF  wood turning finish  apply several  coats  until deterred finish is obtained.   needs a good 10 days for a harden finish.


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## robutacion (Dec 5, 2013)

1080Wayne said:


> Zero finish . Sand to 600 or greater , your preference . If it needs mild cleaning or after a harsh clean , use a couple drops of olive oil on a soft cloth to restore the as new appearance .



This is in fact, one the oldest methods of coating Olive wood made pieces such as those used in kitchens, many, many years ago however, the health safety levels and tests available, have consider this method and insufficient way to protect the wood from bacteria, particularly the e coli.

Oily woods such as the Olive wood, to create some havoc with some types of finishes, most won't adhere as you thing they do, and endup peeling away in a long run (sometimes, in a short run...!)

Natural wood oils to cover the wood to a certain point, giving a shine that the raw wood would have difficulty in provided however, most of those finishes are moisture and hand sweat sensitive, looking "dirty" in no time.

In my experience with Olive wood, and in the particular case of pens, unless the wood is properly stabilized, and simply sanded to fine sanding, (600 is enough) adding a quick rub with some polishing compound using fine steel-wool instead of a cloth(more shine that way), nothing else will last as long or protect the wood from any foreign elements.

Is also true that, oily woods are extremely difficult to stabilize properly and Olive wood is no exception.  I have done some experimentations with removing as much natural oil from the wood and then stabilize.  I have had a combination of results that vary from 50% penetration to up to 75% penetration in a normal 21mm square x 130mm pen blank.

I have also noticed that, the capability of the juice under full vacuum to penetrated is directly related to, from where the wood was in the full tree structure, what I mean is, different parts (wood) from different areas of the tree, will produce wood with a higher concentration of natural oils and also grain density, both being the worse enemies of wood stabilization.

Only one other natural material I know can throw havoc in the vacuum chamber and that is the "Silica" found in most Australian Acacias/Wattles.

I would have any problem in finishing a olive wood blank with CA, I would avoid anything over 4 coats (wood elasticity Vs thick CA layers), I always wipe the wood with a generous amount of acetone and make sure the acetone has evaporated completely before I put any CA, the thinner the CA the better...!

A lot more could be said...!:wink::biggrin:

Cheers
George


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