# The snakewood pen that will not crack!



## CharlesH (Mar 3, 2014)

Hey guys,

I have gotten into knives and I have a languiole made of snakewood and I decided I needed a pen to go with it.

I had fairly good luck with snakewood, I have had a few pens not crack on me yet with my usual CA glue finish.

Yesterday I prepared a two tubes pen and I noticed the snakewood was cracked all the way down so I was kinda worried and I decided to not finish it. It is related with the heat build up while drilling. I am not really interested in wet drilling, in my mind I think it would make the wood even more unstable.

From that point I contacted many some snakewood suppliers and woodworkers to get some input from them. So I drilled the snakewood and micro-cracks appeared since I could not avoid heat. I thin-CA'ed inside the tubes holes and all the blank with two good layer of CA then pierced again. I wanted a barewood finish with this pen. So I turned the pen to the bushings I applied thin CA on the end of tubes and on the tube itself and I went with sanding up to 1500. I applied renaissance wax as finish. The pen feel really heavy/saturated and dense without any voids. I am pretty confident it will last, I will put it to test.

If you guys have any input regarding this wood it would be fun to hear about it!

As always clicky the thumbnail:





Thanks,

Charles


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## Joe S. (Mar 3, 2014)

How does that prevent it from cracking?
Nice pen btw!


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## alphageek (Mar 3, 2014)

I don't know if it will last or not, but wow it sure is pretty.


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## CharlesH (Mar 3, 2014)

Joe S. said:


> How does that prevent it from cracking?
> Nice pen btw!



The thin CA glue fill the micro-cracks and the pores inside and out of the blank. I read that some had snakewood stabilized and it tends to help the crackling.

C


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## Lenny (Mar 3, 2014)

I have never attempted snakewood but have had failures with ebony. :frown:
I simply avoid it except for embelishments now.

I admire your determination though! 

I had one thought ... I too would be leary of using water to cool it while drilling (maybe others have tried it and can advise differently) but one trick we use at work when doing repetative operations on the drill press, is to use a steady stream of compressed air directed at the cutter. It helps keep things cool! 

Might be worth a try?


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## CharlesH (Mar 3, 2014)

Thanks! The steady stream of compressed air trick is a good idea!

C



Lenny said:


> I have never attempted snakewood but have had failures with ebony. :frown:
> I simply avoid it except for embelishments now.
> 
> I admire your determination though!
> ...


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## robutacion (Mar 3, 2014)

G'day Charles, long time don't see...!

So, you are now into knifes, huh...??? I got to show you some knife blanks I make...!:wink:

I don't have much experience with snake-wood, I've heard numerous time the complains/problems that people have with it, cracking being the biggest culprit.

The technique you used, there is, the soaking of the drilled hole with super thin CA, is in my view, one of the best "habits" one should adopt in pen turning/dressing/making, one of which I have been recommending considerably often, particular or certain types of woods, cast blanks and others.

The use of the super thin CA (5cps) to soak the blank as it is worked on, is also a great method to preserve the blank/wood integrity right to the end, with the benefit that, if the drilled hole was soaked properly, by the time you reach the ideal barrel diameter, the material is already "stabilised/hardened" from the tube end so, there will be little or no chances that, the material gets ripped off from the tube or, it comes apart.

The conventional wood stabilization process, using the proper wood stabilizing resins, will produce an identical result to the manual super thing CA soaking of the wood/blank.  Filling all open porous, micro cracks and any other non solid areas of the blank with a synthetic product, is "normally" all it takes to "stabilise" of crack/separation prone wood.

I'm not sure which of these 2 products (stabilizing resin or CA) has the best elasticity and durability, I wouldn't be surprised if the proper stabilised blanks, have the advantage...!

I can only admire your attempts to make a prone cracking wood into a more stabilised and effective material, the snake-wood is a beautiful wood and any attempts to make it a more user friendly (I mean, a less frustrating wood to make pens from...!), is a good step in my books, you do what you need to do, to make it work, that's what counts, in the end, really...!:wink::biggrin:

I always like your work on pens, can you show us some of your work on knifes, please...!

Cheers
George


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## Edward Cypher (Mar 3, 2014)

It is a beautiful pen.  I hope it stays that way.  Good luck, snakewood is a real PIA.


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## thewishman (Mar 3, 2014)

I miss seeing the pen in your hand.

Beautiful pen! I found it was easier to let the pen crack, repair with sanding dust and CA and THEN assembling.

So happy to see you back showing your pens!


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## Tom T (Mar 3, 2014)

Very elegant pen.  Looks great.
I have heard these snake wood issues.  I have a few pieces on the shelf.  
Thank you for this tip., I will move the wood closer to the edge of the shelf.


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## CharlesH (Mar 3, 2014)

thewishman said:


> I miss seeing the pen in your hand.
> 
> Beautiful pen! I found it was easier to let the pen crack, repair with sanding dust and CA and THEN assembling.
> 
> So happy to see you back showing your pens!



Thanks for the kind words. I was not mentally in the mood to turn for a while!  

C


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## CharlesH (Mar 3, 2014)

robutacion said:


> G'day Charles, long time don't see...!
> 
> So, you are now into knifes, huh...??? I got to show you some knife blanks I make...!:wink:
> 
> ...



Hey George!  

I have not yet made a knife. I have been buying custom made knife from Europe artisan. I am in the process of getting to knife handles. I always take a while to study.  

I will most certainly have a look at your site! 

Thanks! 

C


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## CharlesH (Mar 3, 2014)

Tom T said:


> Very elegant pen.  Looks great.
> I have heard these snake wood issues.  I have a few pieces on the shelf.
> Thank you for this tip., I will move the wood closer to the edge of the shelf.



I had a slab of Buckeye burl for years and a bristle pinecone base sitting on the shelve. I made the table last week. Made me feel so great. If you look in my gallery (my signature) you should see it, it's the second picture.  

C


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## robutacion (Mar 4, 2014)

> Hey George!
> 
> I have not yet made a knife. I have been buying custom made knife from Europe artisan. I am in the process of getting to knife handles. I always take a while to study.
> 
> ...



Charles,

The knife handle blanks I'm talking about, are not yet listed on my store, I have had everything ready (pics) for weeks but I hate, I mean, literally hate to create new listings for my eBay store, the software I use to created those listings (the eBay Turbo Lister 2), is a pain to use and plays with every computer I used it on, the only time it works well is when I get a new computer, a few months later if gets slower and slower, I have had day that if not losing the whole days work when is time to download the new listings to eBay or, take me up to 3 hours to get a single listing made, it takes minutes in between every single action, it completely destroyed any enjoyment of adding new listings (something new) to the eBay store. I would easily pay for someone to do the listings for me, no doubts about it.

I have spent so many hours with the eBay "assistance" people, computer people and god know who else that, I have all sorts of blanks done and ready to list, for a couple of years, and I can't find the motivation to do them up...!

Anyway, when you are ready to start working on the knife handles and you still can't see them (Resifills and stabilised raw or dyed type) on my eBay store, shoot me an email and I will send you the pics...!

PS: I saw that giant table you made, geezz mate, it should have some weight to it but, beautiful though...!

Cheers
George


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## BW Design Works (Mar 4, 2014)

Hey Charles,
 Good to see you back on the boards! Thin CA in the drilled out hole will definitely help in the prevention of it cracking. Also try drilling at a slower speed, less friction build up that way.  I've had cracking issues with Snakewood but usually during sanding (me rushing and not letting the blank cool :frown, I usually put a CA finish on it since it can still crack down the road due to temperature or humidity changes. If you want a natural finish you can always use a fine mesh pad to dull the glossy finish.  

Looks nice!


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## Pitoon (Mar 4, 2014)

maybe it's me, but i'm not seeing any pics on this thread?

Pitoon


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## Band Saw Box (Mar 4, 2014)

Beautiful pen


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## CharlesH (Mar 4, 2014)

Guess what guys?!

It started developping tiny cracks on the cap tube overnight!!! I am jinxed. 

I am pretty sure it is related with the amount of wood on the tube, on a Gent Jr it is so thin. All the cigars and dukes I made never cracked.

Argh! 

C


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## Hubert H (Mar 4, 2014)

Charles,  I'm sure open to any new ways of doing things - but - After 40 years working with all kinds of wood I have a saying whenever asked about Snakewood for pens. Beautiful (and yours looked as nice as I have ever seen) but *it isn't a  question of if it will crack but when!*

A pen maker in Michigan stabilized a SW blank - used silicone caulk to hold the inserted cooper tube and I understand it has been good for 1 1/2 years.  He has been very careful not to leave it where the temperature has large swings.

Just out of curiosity - did your cracks start at the end of the blank/tube.


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## yorkie (Mar 4, 2014)

Beautiful pen; one of my favorite woods!

I have experimented with stabilizing and have weighed before and after stabilizing with zero effect.  Snakewood is too dense and does not absorb any of the resin.  I use a powerful Busch pump so it's not as if I have a weak pump.

What I do with Snakewood is finish the pen, CA finish etc. and then leave it until it does crack.  At that point I leave it a little longer and then refinish with CA again.  I find by this time it's done all the cracking it's going to do.

Hope that helps.


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## bjbear76 (Mar 4, 2014)

I hear about the cracking issues with snakewood and ebony.  I'll go ahead and jinx myself by saying as far as I know, I've not seen any cracks on my snakewood pens and it's been at least a year and a half since I've turned them.  Have I just been lucky?  These were turned when I was only using Shellawax as a finish.  I haven't heard anybody say whether Shellawax on snakewood had the same cracking issues.  I'd be interested to know if there's any connection with the type of finish used; especially since the blank would heat up dramatically with the Shellawax.


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## JohnGreco (Mar 4, 2014)

Looks good! If I'm drilling wood that I don't want to overheat, I occasionally turn off the drill press and spritz the drill bit with a water mist a couple of times, then dry it good. Any tiny amounts of moisture quickly evaporate once the bit warms up again.


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## CharlesH (Mar 4, 2014)

hubert said:


> Charles,  I'm sure open to any new ways of doing things - but - After 40 years working with all kinds of wood I have a saying whenever asked about Snakewood for pens. Beautiful (and yours looked as nice as I have ever seen) but *it isn't a  question of if it will crack but when!*
> 
> A pen maker in Michigan stabilized a SW blank - used silicone caulk to hold the inserted cooper tube and I understand it has been good for 1 1/2 years.  He has been very careful not to leave it where the temperature has large swings.
> 
> Just out of curiosity - did your cracks start at the end of the blank/tube.



On the cap start and end on two different spots!

C


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## KenV (Mar 4, 2014)

Nice Pen Charles!!!

I find that if I let the blanks set for a year or so after I drill them, I do not get cracks.   Letting the blank age a longer time before drilling helps too.


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## aplpickr (Mar 4, 2014)

When I drill blanks on the lathe, I use a pistol-grip air gun with a 4" small nozzle. I keep a constant blast going at the intersection of the blank and the drill bit. It keeps the bit clean and the bit and blank cool. Harbor freight about $4. Air Blow Gun with 4" Nozzle


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## tgsean (Mar 5, 2014)

Very nice, looks like you won this round! Great work


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## johncrane (Mar 5, 2014)

Charles! if you think it's heat when drilling the blank,try DNA sprayed onto drill bit and into the hole will stop the heat dead! use on wood and acrylics.


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## CharlesH (Mar 5, 2014)

DNA!? Never knew that product! Can you point out the supplier?

Thanks,

C



johncrane said:


> Charles! if you think it's heat when drilling the blank,try DNA sprayed onto drill bit and into the hole will stop the heat dead! use on wood and acrylics.


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## johncrane (Mar 5, 2014)

Charles DNA! here in OZ it's called Methylated Spirits, available here in Coles Super Market, Hardware Stores.i'd say your Hobby Lobby,Building Suppliers,House Paint Suppliers,Cleaning Suppliers.


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## juteck (Mar 5, 2014)

Denatured alcohol.  Walmart, Home Depot, lowes, hardware stores.  Check the painting section. 

It's also used to help sped up the drying cycle of freshly cut wood by reducing moisture content - do a google search on "DNA woodturning" or "denatured alcohol woodturning".


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## Tom T (Mar 5, 2014)

Charles,
Your table is amazing.  My wife said Wow.  I am encouraged to move forward.
Sorry to here about the pen cracking.  It really looks good, maybe all the advice that was offered will help you come up with a solution.


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## CharlesH (Mar 5, 2014)

juteck said:


> Denatured alcohol.  Walmart, Home Depot, lowes, hardware stores.  Check the painting section.
> 
> It's also used to help sped up the drying cycle of freshly cut wood by reducing moisture content - do a google search on "DNA woodturning" or "denatured alcohol woodturning".





johncrane said:


> Charles DNA! here in OZ it's called Methylated Spirits, available here in Coles Super Market, Hardware Stores.i'd say your Hobby Lobby,Building Suppliers,House Paint Suppliers,Cleaning Suppliers.



Thanks guys will do!!! 

C


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## Quality Pen (Mar 5, 2014)

aplpickr said:


> When I drill blanks on the lathe, I use a pistol-grip air gun with a 4" small nozzle. I keep a constant blast going at the intersection of the blank and the drill bit. It keeps the bit clean and the bit and blank cool. Harbor freight about $4. Air Blow Gun with 4" Nozzle





johncrane said:


> Charles! if you think it's heat when drilling the blank,try DNA sprayed onto drill bit and into the hole will stop the heat dead! use on wood and acrylics.



just wow awesome pro tips


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## CharlesH (Mar 5, 2014)

Tom T said:


> Charles,
> Your table is amazing.  My wife said Wow.  I am encouraged to move forward.
> Sorry to here about the pen cracking.  It really looks good, maybe all the advice that was offered will help you come up with a solution.



Thanks for the kind words, my goal is to have knowledgeable people to shine and contribute here. I have been messaging/emailing a few people and pointed this thread. 

C


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