# Cocobolo Finishing Problems



## Fred (May 20, 2009)

For a bit of information that explains why various finishes do not work on Cocobolo go to this article and read the two short informative paragraphs that will explain where the problem arises ...

http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/eZine/Public/QA.aspx

Maybe this will help some of our members to understand a bit about this species of wood.


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## leehljp (May 20, 2009)

Great link! Thanks. With the post's title, I thought we were going to be able to help you with a problem - finally! :biggrin: But you have it solved!

That solution has been suggested before, but your link is the definitive answer.


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## Fred (May 20, 2009)

Lee, the only problem I have is that I am my own worst problem these days.

I get the newsletter and when I opened it today here was the above linked article. I thought of all that has been stated here on the Forum recently about oily woods and finish problems and felt that maybe this would give someone an answer or two.


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## jttheclockman (May 20, 2009)

This would apply to the post "Wipe on Poly Problems"


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## Dave_M (May 27, 2009)

Excellent post.  Thank you.  That explains my irritating African Blackwood issues.  Although I was able to get my last African Blackwood finished with a poly, it wasn't easy.


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## workinforwood (Jun 3, 2009)

If ever in doubt, use a coat of shellac as a sealer.  Shellac can go on anything and anything can go on shellac.  If you have to refinish something that has been sprayed with furniture polish, now that's a bugger.  You strip it, but the waxes and silicones are still there.  Shellac will stick and seal you to success.


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## jttheclockman (Jun 3, 2009)

workinforwood said:


> If ever in doubt, use a coat of shellac as a sealer. Shellac can go on anything and anything can go on shellac. If you have to refinish something that has been sprayed with furniture polish, now that's a bugger. You strip it, but the waxes and silicones are still there. Shellac will stick and seal you to success.


 

"Dewaxed" shellac is the way to go.


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## philb (Jun 17, 2009)

workinforwood said:


> If ever in doubt, use a coat of shellac as a sealer.  Shellac can go on anything and anything can go on shellac.  If you have to refinish something that has been sprayed with furniture polish, now that's a bugger.  You strip it, but the waxes and silicones are still there.  Shellac will stick and seal you to success.



What type of Shellac do you use?

A shellac sanding sealer, or just shellac wax?

Cheers PHIL


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## jttheclockman (Jun 17, 2009)

philbaldwin said:


> What type of Shellac do you use?
> 
> A shellac sanding sealer, or just shellac wax?
> 
> Cheers PHIL


 
This is what I use. You can do a google search and it will give you the pdf file and show all tech stuff.



http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10310


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## philb (Jun 18, 2009)

jttheclockman said:


> This is what I use. You can do a google search and it will give you the pdf file and show all tech stuff.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10310



So do you use that under your CA/Lacquer finishes on all pens? 

Thanks for the link, im going to look for some wax-free sanding sealer now!

PHIL


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## RussFairfield (Jun 18, 2009)

There is no need to buy anything. Remember that friction polish you threw away because you wanted to use a better finish?  It makes a good wood sealer for any wood, and an excellent barrier coat for oily and problem woods. After all, it is shellac. 

Sand the wood to 600-grit, apply the friction polish, let it dry for awhile, buff it back with 0000-steel, and then apply your CA, poly, or whatever other finish.


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## philb (Jun 18, 2009)

RussFairfield said:


> There is no need to buy anything. Remember that friction polish you threw away because you wanted to use a better finish?  It makes a good wood sealer for any wood, and an excellent barrier coat for oily and problem woods. After all, it is shellac.
> 
> Sand the wood to 600-grit, apply the friction polish, let it dry for awhile, buff it back with 0000-steel, and then apply your CA, poly, or whatever other finish.



Cheers Russ!

Will friction polish not have wax in, or does it now matter. Also is this feasible to use on all woods, or just ideally for the oily ones, like cocobolo and blackwood?

Have you used this method, as I have seen your videos on CA and CA as a filler and didn't see any shellac products?

PHIL


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## jttheclockman (Jun 18, 2009)

philbaldwin said:


> So do you use that under your CA/Lacquer finishes on all pens?
> 
> Thanks for the link, im going to look for some wax-free sanding sealer now!
> 
> PHIL


 

No, only the oily woods. Some people find BOW to be oily but I do not and just use thin layers of thin CA. Same for maples and woods of that nature. Woods of the rosewood family such as Zircote, bacote, rosewoods, blackwood I use the sealer. Have used it in my scrolling and it has done a great job for me so I just carried the practice here when I started making pens. Have a great day.


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## jttheclockman (Jun 18, 2009)

RussFairfield said:


> There is no need to buy anything. Remember that friction polish you threw away because you wanted to use a better finish? It makes a good wood sealer for any wood, and an excellent barrier coat for oily and problem woods. After all, it is shellac.
> 
> Sand the wood to 600-grit, apply the friction polish, let it dry for awhile, buff it back with 0000-steel, and then apply your CA, poly, or whatever other finish.


 

I know I am stepping out of bounds here but I would check the ingrediants in that friction polish before I used it as an undercoating.


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