# Pen plus restored my faith to mankind



## MedWoodWorx (Jan 4, 2022)

Pen plus arrived in the post today. I payed about 130 euros for 3 bottles of retail value of 19 dollars ( about 17 euros). Shipping and taxes has cost me more than product value. But every cent was worth it. Its a marvelous, bizarre oily finish that has a lot of potential especially for dense non porous woods. I tried applying it over olive wood with light sanding from 800 to 3000 grit sandpapers. I messed up a bit cause it becomes sticky really fast but i cannot tell where i am wrong cause its my first experiment with pen plus. I have no idea about optimal conditions (temp and humidity) or proper application ( sanding, buffing etc.). Anyway i would like to start this thread so that i can learn more from others, who are more savvy than me. Thanks in advance for any input. Cheers


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## jrista (Jan 4, 2022)

MedWoodWorx said:


> Pen plus arrived in the post today. I payed about 130 euros for 3 bottles of retail value of 19 dollars ( about 17 euros). Shipping and taxes has cost me more than product value. But every cent was worth it. Its a marvelous, bizarre oily finish that has a lot of potential especially for dense non porous woods. I tried applying it over olive wood with light sanding from 800 to 3000 grit sandpapers. I messed up a bit cause it becomes sticky really fast but i cannot tell where i am wrong cause its my first experiment with pen plus. I have no idea about optimal conditions (temp and humidity) or proper application ( sanding, buffing etc.). Anyway i would like to start this thread so that i can learn more from others, who are more savvy than me. Thanks in advance for any input. Cheers


The stickiness...did it happen while you were initially applying it to the blank, or during friction polishing?

If during application, you just need to get the finish on the blank, and get it spinning FAST (I usually friction polish 3000rpm or higher) and start polishing sooner.

If it gets sticky during friction polishing, it may be because you have too much. Where you can probably build CA glue up to as many layers/thickness as you want, in my experience Pens Plus isn't really something you want to build up a lot. It will actually give you a nice, finger-print free, and in my experience durable (I'd say next best thing to CA...obviously its not as hard as CA) finish with fewer coats than CA. Also, the first coat will use the most PP, but even then, its not that much...I usually start with less than a dime sized thin dot for the first coat. For all subsequent coats, its much less than that...you do not need very much of this, a little bit goes a LONG way!! I haven't even used 1/3rd of the original bottle I purchased yet, and I've finished a few dozen or so pens with PP since I first started using it. Too much, and it does get sticky, so use it sparingly. I mean, its a tiny little dot for subsequent coats. 

Oh, also, after you fully friction polish in the first coat, the subsequent coats can be applied without turning the lathe off. The only time I turn the lathe off with PP, is if I find that I've introduced streaks. If I accidentally do that, then I turn the lathe off, use a little bit more PP, and manually rub it lengthwise along the blank and try to work out the streaks. Then I friction polish it again as if it was the first coat. Then I'll apply more subsequent coats if needed. I stop coating when every part of the blank is shiny, and does not dull after 10-15 minutes or so. 

Where with CA, you usually want at least 10 coats, and some people do many coats of thin, then many more coats of medium, or something along those lines, Pens Plus should get you a reasonable finish with fewer. I don't think I go more than 8, but 5-6 is usually where I'm stopping these days. The last two pens had two coats of just the pure walnut oil, then 4 coats of Pens Plus, and they came out great.

HEAT is important. You need your finger almost burning when friction polishing. The heat is really key. When I wasn't getting enough friction, I always had to do that "last light pass", and that light pass requires much more drying time (at least a day). With high heat during friction polishing, of each coat, you really "burn" it in, and that bakes in the shine and hardens the wax properly. You will need to experiment to find the right pressure and RPM to achieve that (BTW, too much pressure, and that will usually result in fibers from your towel getting stuck in the finish, so its a balancing act). The high RPM does help get the right friction with the right pressure.

The initial coats of the pure walnut oil are important, IMO. I originally started with Pens Plus just directly on the dry wood (usually after cleaning a bit with DNA). A lot of woods, even harder ones, will soak up huge amounts of PP. This was when I was putting 10+ coats on, and I had stickiness problems. Softer woods, like Maple, just soak and soak and soak up PP, doesn't seem to matter how much I put on. I had a very hard time with a Port Orford Cedar pen a couple months back. That wood never stopped soaking up the PP. I think its because the PP has some oil in it, and it just wasn't enough oil to saturate the fibers sufficiently. When I started using the pure walnut oil as my first couple of coats, the very first coat was a saturating coat...so that the fibers would get sufficiently saturated to keep them from guzzling up the oil in the PP coats. Again, it is best to friction polish the pure oil in as well, and again, that requires pretty high heat (burning your fingers hot).

I find that it is best to friction polish in a couple coats of the oil, and let that sit and dry for a while. I have a little dowel rack that I put blanks on. Since I always finish directly between two centers, no bushings, its not a problem to take them off the lathe, and put them back on, and you can do that as often as you need. So I'll let the oil coats dry, then I will usually use a new dry piece of paper towel to wipe off any excess oil first, before applying the first coat of PP. Then, I'll apply 2-3 PP coats, then let that dry pretty well before I continue. I will usually need a couple more coats before the finish is truly done. Most of my blanks bounce back and forth between my rack and the lathe a few times before they are finally good. I always bring the rack in when I'm done with each round so that the finishes are drying in a reasonably warm environment (my garage, without my 500W garage heater running, will settle around 35-38 degrees these days, and that cold does not seem to be good for any kind of friction polish, whereas 68-70 degrees seems to be perfect.)


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## jrista (Jan 4, 2022)

Oh, one final note...its also very important to not touch the finish with your fingers until it has had a chance to completely harden and cure. I was trying to teach a local guy how to use it. He was a friction polish guy, usually the Mylands High Build, but never quite achieved the same level of gloss I do with PP. I noticed that he was always handling the blanks pretty much immediately when he was done, and that seems to dull any friction polish finish, especially PP (and PP can also bake in fingerprints). 

I created a few blank-removal tools out of some simple dowel that I sharpened on one end with my belt sander, a couple of nuts that thread onto the dowel snugly, and a washer between them. This allows me to pull back the tailstock with this tool kind of wedged into the brass tube, and then i let the blank fall onto the dowel when I fully pull away the tailstock. This allows me to make sure I never touch the blank while the finish is still "new". I will touch the point of the removal tool to one of the dowels on my rack, and lift the back to put the blank on the rack, still without touching it. Super cheap and easy tool to make. You just need to find a size of dowel and a couple nuts and a washer that will thread snugly on the dowel to create a stop at the non-pointy end.


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## MedWoodWorx (Jan 4, 2022)

jrista said:


> Oh, one final note...its also very important to not touch the finish with your fingers until it has had a chance to completely harden and cure. I was trying to teach a local guy how to use it. He was a friction polish guy, usually the Mylands High Build, but never quite achieved the same level of gloss I do with PP. I noticed that he was always handling the blanks pretty much immediately when he was done, and that seems to dull any friction polish finish, especially PP (and PP can also bake in fingerprints).
> 
> I created a few blank-removal tools out of some simple dowel that I sharpened on one end with my belt sander, a couple of nuts that thread onto the dowel snugly, and a washer between them. This allows me to pull back the tailstock with this tool kind of wedged into the brass tube, and then i let the blank fall onto the dowel when I fully pull away the tailstock. This allows me to make sure I never touch the blank while the finish is still "new". I will touch the point of the removal tool to one of the dowels on my rack, and lift the back to put the blank on the rack, still without touching it. Super cheap and easy tool to make. You just need to find a size of dowel and a couple nuts and a washer that will thread snugly on the dowel to create a stop at the non-pointy end.


First of all thank you for your time.
Maybe i did everything wrong: i saturated the wood with pp using a paper towel and then wet sanded with pp. I didn't wait between grits and also washed the blank a couple of times with pp without sanding. At the end i friction polished in high revs with a piece of paper towel when i noticed that the blank became sticky. I used too much in too little time i suppose.


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## mark james (Jan 4, 2022)

jrista. Has some superb thoughts, so I won't repeat the discussion.  

I will merely say that there are MANY finishes that we each can pick and choose from.  And each has faults and strengths, so I have a simply philosophy:  Have a very large tool box with many tools, and learn how to use the tools that you like for the purposes you desire!!!!!

I have use Pens Plus, and when appropriate it has served me well.


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## TonyL (Jan 4, 2022)

Very happy for you. It is an excellent product.


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## jrista (Jan 4, 2022)

MedWoodWorx said:


> First of all thank you for your time.
> Maybe i did everything wrong: i saturated the wood with pp using a paper towel and then wet sanded with pp. I didn't wait between grits and also washed the blank a couple of times with pp without sanding. At the end i friction polished in high revs with a piece of paper towel when i noticed that the blank became sticky. I used too much in too little time i suppose.


Hmm, I wonder if wet sanding with a wax-based finish is why it got sticky. I think if you want to wet sand, I would use the Doctors Woodshop Walnut Oil, which is just the oil. I don't think I would recommend wet sanding with a wax-based finish, though, which is what PP is. Its the same walnut oil, DNA, shellac, and a synthetic microcrystalline wax.

I would just sand to a high grit (unless the wood just won't take it, I go all the way up to 2000 grit, just dry sanding), then finish. Otherwise, I'd pick up a bottle of the pure walnut oil (Doctors Woodshop brand, which is a very clear oil, vs. say Mahoneys, which has a very notable amber color, and seems to go rancid pretty quickly) and wet sand with just the oil.


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## wmillman (Jan 4, 2022)

He has a video showing how to use Pen Plus Here I would follow his instructions.


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## jrista (Jan 4, 2022)

wmillman said:


> He has a video showing how to use Pen Plus Here I would follow his instructions.


This is a good video. It is actually where I got the idea to use the walnut oil first. 

Key thing to note, when watching this...his WHITE bottle, is just walnut oil. It is not till nearer the end, after he wet sands with just the oil up to, I think, 5000 grit, that he finally uses his BROWN bottle, which is Pens Plus.


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## MedWoodWorx (Jan 5, 2022)

You are right guys i am stupid. I ve seen the videos but i stupidly decided to use pp instead of walnut oil. The thing is that i have only some food grade walnut oil not doctors oil. I ll give it a try asap. Thank you everyone.


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## jrista (Jan 5, 2022)

MedWoodWorx said:


> You are right guys i am stupid. I ve seen the videos but i stupidly decided to use pp instead of walnut oil. The thing is that i have only some food grade walnut oil not doctors oil. I ll give it a try asap. Thank you everyone.


The walnut oil is not required. You can use just PP on dry wood as well. I would just be a bit more liberal with the first coat, rub it in better before you friction polish, and then REALLY friction polish it in good before you add the next coat. Give the first coat some time to dry so you can identify dry/dull spots if they occur. Usually, they will occur where the grain is punky, where there is endgrain (i.e. the ends of the blanks, around groves, etc.), or where there are scrapes in the wood (even when they can barely be seen by the eye, say little scrapes caused by sanding, these can end up showing up as dull spots with PP.) 

The second layer should be targeted at covering up the dull spots as much as possible. Subsequent layers should do the same, and improve the shine until you get that glass-like finish.


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## MedWoodWorx (Jan 5, 2022)

mark james said:


> jrista. Has some superb thoughts, so I won't repeat the discussion.
> 
> I will merely say that there are MANY finishes that we each can pick and choose from.  And each has faults and strengths, so I have a simply philosophy:  Have a very large tool box with many tools, and learn how to use the tools that you like for the purposes you desire!!!!!
> 
> I have use Pens Plus, and when appropriate it has served me well.


can you please elaborate what do you mean by appropriate? i mean have you noticed any particular woods that are especially benefited from PP? i would guess that oily and dense woods have to gain the most. 
cheers


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## SabertoothBunny (Jan 5, 2022)

First, watch the videos on the Doctor's Woodshop on how t apply Pens Plus and other finishes. It sounds like you are just rubbing it on and that i it. It requires heat to buff and really adhere. Friction. The videos do a great job demonstrating this finish.


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## jrista (Jan 5, 2022)

mark james said:


> jrista. Has some superb thoughts, so I won't repeat the discussion.
> 
> I will merely say that there are MANY finishes that we each can pick and choose from.  And each has faults and strengths, so I have a simply philosophy:  Have a very large tool box with many tools, and learn how to use the tools that you like for the purposes you desire!!!!!
> 
> I have use Pens Plus, and when appropriate it has served me well.


I agree, its good to have a large toolbox. I honestly haven't explored all the options yet myself, and I need to. I need to give poly a try. One of the reasons I haven't yet, is every time I read about it people comment about the yellowing caused by poly, both on initial application (I guess oil based polys are usually based on linseed oil?), as well as more and more over time. I turn enough lighter colored woods, maple and holly in particular, that I really want as neutral a finish (color wise) as I can find. There are two that I've used the most: Mylands Melamine Lacquer, and Pens Plus. 

I suspect on some woods, the warming/yellowing wouldn't be a problem, and I really do need to give poly a try. I did explore polycrylic a bit, and a couple other water-based pen finishes. Those seem to have taught me that I am really not a fan of water based finishes, I think...


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## grpass (Jan 6, 2022)

I also love pens plus. After sanding, clean the blank with DNA. leave the lathe turning at a fast speed. Use a paper towel with 2-3 drops of Pens Plus, keep pressure on the blank as you move the paper tower back and forth. 5-6 coats. Keep using a fresh spot on the the paper towel for each coat. Amazingly it dries as soon as you finish each coat. Great stuff


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## MedWoodWorx (Jan 6, 2022)

SabertoothBunny said:


> First, watch the videos on the Doctor's Woodshop on how t apply Pens Plus and other finishes. It sounds like you are just rubbing it on and that i it. It requires heat to buff and really adhere. Friction. The videos do a great job demonstrating this finish.


Well i did watched them a thousand times thats why i am stupid. I didn't notice that he sands with just walnut oil and at the end he uses the PP. Therefore i used a lot and i ended up with one sticky mess. However today when i checked again the blank was smooth and the PP had cured. Maybe it was the oily character of olive wood, maybe it was luck.


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## SabertoothBunny (Jan 6, 2022)

MedWoodWorx said:


> Well i did watched them a thousand times thats why i am stupid. I didn't notice that he sands with just walnut oil and at the end he uses the PP. Therefore i used a lot and i ended up with one sticky mess. However today when i checked again the blank was smooth and the PP had cured. Maybe it was the oily character of olive wood, maybe it was luck.



Sent you a PM


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## MedWoodWorx (Jan 13, 2022)

So after experimenting a bit with pens plus i managed to make this. 



The pen at the left is finished with ca and the blanks at the right with PP.
Important note: photo taken with a crappy phone in a homemade lightbox.
Many thanks to everyone in this forum for sharing thoughts and expertise. Cheers


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## jrista (Jan 13, 2022)

Looks pretty comparable. I think you can get the PP much, much shiner though!  With practice, you'll get better and better at using it.


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## SabertoothBunny (Jan 13, 2022)

I love PP, it is a great finish that is surprisingly durable. Less work than CA and doesn't look like shiny plastic when done. Keep it up, your on the right track.


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## MedWoodWorx (Jan 21, 2022)

Is it just me or the PP bottle dispenser is wrong? I think that kind of dispenser works with thick liquids like creams, shampoos etc. PP is much thinner.a pull up dispenser like the ones used in glue bottles or a closing cap would be more appropriate. Just a thought, cheers.


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## jrista (Jan 21, 2022)

MedWoodWorx said:


> Is it just me or the PP bottle dispenser is wrong? I think that kind of dispenser works with thick liquids like creams, shampoos etc. PP is much thinner.a pull up dispenser like the ones used in glue bottles or a closing cap would be more appropriate. Just a thought, cheers.


Yeah, I don't like the default dispenser. I wonder if I could find an alternative that would fit, that would make dispensing it easier... I know you can get some replacement bottle dispensers for some types of bottles...


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## RGVPens (Jan 21, 2022)

I've used and like Pens Plus. But I've never used the Walnut oil. In a quest for a better/easier shine I ordered some Walnut oil and expect it to arrive tomorrow. 

The question is, and it may sound stupid, but I've never seen it before and wonder if it is dark and stains like real walnut oil? Will it change the color of say olive wood?


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## SabertoothBunny (Jan 21, 2022)

RGVPens said:


> I've used and like Pens Plus. But I've never used the Walnut oil. In a quest for a better/easier shine I ordered some Walnut oil and expect it to arrive tomorrow.
> 
> The question is, and it may sound stupid, but I've never seen it before and wonder if it is dark and stains like real walnut oil? Will it change the color of say olive wood?




With wood blanks I typically wet sand with the the walnut oil then "wash" with walnut oil. One more light coat of walnut oil after that and I then use the pressure for heat friction to get the oil to adsorb and harden. This creates a great base for applying the Pens Plus. The pens I make this way have a good sheen and have surprising durability.


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## jrista (Jan 22, 2022)

RGVPens said:


> I've used and like Pens Plus. But I've never used the Walnut oil. In a quest for a better/easier shine I ordered some Walnut oil and expect it to arrive tomorrow.
> 
> The question is, and it may sound stupid, but I've never seen it before and wonder if it is dark and stains like real walnut oil? Will it change the color of say olive wood?


This is a very clear walnut oil. I've used Mahoney's walnut oil in the past, and it is very brown, and does change the color of the wood. But the Doctors Woodshop walnut oil is very clear, and has a very very slight yellowing/darkening effect on pens. The only time I have had a notable color change is with this one particular maple platter blank that turned a bit orange when finished in Doctor's walnut oil. On all pens so far, there is the normal darkening you get with any finish, but otherwise only the slightest yellowing in color change. 

With Olive Wood, you might find the wood gets slightly more golden colored. I have finished a pen with this stuff, and it seemed to generally maintain its color:


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## SabertoothBunny (Jan 24, 2022)

jrista said:


> Yeah, I don't like the default dispenser. I wonder if I could find an alternative that would fit, that would make dispensing it easier... I know you can get some replacement bottle dispensers for some types of bottles...



I use OXO squeeze bottles that you can get off amazon. They are just one of the best squeeze bottles I have found for controlling applications of liquid finishes (they are designed for cooking after all). The cap also locks onto the tip so if the bottle falls over it doesn't leak. Below is a link to an example of these bottles on amazon, they are amazing for the oils and finishes from my experience.



			https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Chefs-Condiment-Squeeze-Bottles/dp/B08Z6MT67B/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2IZ2WAU6PJ0TS&keywords=oxo+squeeze+bottle&qid=1643036097&sprefix=oxo+squeeze+bottle%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-4


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## SabertoothBunny (Jan 24, 2022)

RGVPens said:


> I've used and like Pens Plus. But I've never used the Walnut oil. In a quest for a better/easier shine I ordered some Walnut oil and expect it to arrive tomorrow.
> 
> The question is, and it may sound stupid, but I've never seen it before and wonder if it is dark and stains like real walnut oil? Will it change the color of say olive wood?



I can cause some affect on lighter colored blanks like maple or holly but I have not had any real issues with a complete color change.


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## SabertoothBunny (Jan 24, 2022)

MedWoodWorx said:


> Is it just me or the PP bottle dispenser is wrong? I think that kind of dispenser works with thick liquids like creams, shampoos etc. PP is much thinner.a pull up dispenser like the ones used in glue bottles or a closing cap would be more appropriate. Just a thought, cheers.




See my other response to someone else, but I use OXO condiment squeeze bottles. Just transfer the oil/finish and they are perfect for controling the flow and release. The cap locks as well to prevent leaking, these are designed for chefs but suit our needs very well:



			https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Chefs-Condiment-Squeeze-Bottles/dp/B08Z6MT67B/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2IZ2WAU6PJ0TS&keywords=oxo+squeeze+bottle&qid=1643036097&sprefix=oxo+squeeze+bottle%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-4


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## jrista (Jan 24, 2022)

SabertoothBunny said:


> I use OXO squeeze bottles that you can get off amazon. They are just one of the best squeeze bottles I have found for controlling applications of liquid finishes (they are designed for cooking after all). The cap also locks onto the tip so if the bottle falls over it doesn't leak. Below is a link to an example of these bottles on amazon, they are amazing for the oils and finishes from my experience.
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Chefs-Condiment-Squeeze-Bottles/dp/B08Z6MT67B/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2IZ2WAU6PJ0TS&keywords=oxo+squeeze+bottle&qid=1643036097&sprefix=oxo+squeeze+bottle%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-4


I actually found some Yorker bottle dispenser caps and put those on my bottles of walnut oil and pens plus. So, so much easier to use now! He should really make that standard, as the caps he uses now are really quite hard to use.


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## boatemp (Jan 24, 2022)

When you talk about Pens Plus is it Pens Plus or High Friction Pens Plus?  I kinda got confused from reading this thread and what I got from the videos and his different products. Thanks


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## egnald (Jan 24, 2022)

I am anxiously waiting for my Doctor's Woodshop products because of this thread. The walnut oil, Pens Plus, and MicroCrystaline wax are all in route from Woodcraft. - Dave


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## RGVPens (Jan 24, 2022)

jrista said:


> This is a very clear walnut oil. I've used Mahoney's walnut oil in the past, and it is very brown, and does change the color of the wood. But the Doctors Woodshop walnut oil is very clear, and has a very very slight yellowing/darkening effect on pens. The only time I have had a notable color change is with this one particular maple platter blank that turned a bit orange when finished in Doctor's walnut oil. On all pens so far, there is the normal darkening you get with any finish, but otherwise only the slightest yellowing in color change.
> 
> With Olive Wood, you might find the wood gets slightly more golden colored. I have finished a pen with this stuff, and it seemed to generally maintain its color:


Beautiful pen! When it got here, I saw that it was clear. As a young boy, Mom and I would visit my grand folks in Missouri each fall during the teacher's meetings in Tulsa. Grandpa owned a walnut huller in town, and I would "work ha" with him and an uncle. I would always have dark walnut stained hands for a week or two. Great times growing up in the 50s & 60s.


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## jrista (Jan 24, 2022)

boatemp said:


> When you talk about Pens Plus is it Pens Plus or High Friction Pens Plus?  I kinda got confused from reading this thread and what I got from the videos and his different products. Thanks





egnald said:


> I am anxiously waiting for my Doctor's Woodshop products because of this thread. The walnut oil, Pens Plus, and MicroCrystaline wax are all in route from Woodcraft. - Dave


Ok, so there are several products. You only need two:

Walnut Finishing Oil
Pens Plus

There are a bunch of finishes, all walnut oil based, in the Doctors Woodshop line. These include, in addition to the above:

Microcrystal Wax Bowl Finish
High Build Friction Polish
Walnut Oil/Carnauba Wax Shellac Woodturning Finish
Walnut Oul and Wax Woodturning Finish
Cutting Board Wax
Walnut Oil Microcrystal Paste Wax
Walnut Oil Paste Wax

If you are only finishing pens, then you do not need any of these other finishes. You only need the first two listed above: The pure walnut oil and pens plus. If you wish to finish other things as well, then there are clearly plenty of options, but for pens you can really keep it simple and just use the first two listed above. There is no need to use the microcrystal paste wax separately, as the microcrystalline wax is already a part of Pens Plus, and Pens Plus has been properly formulate to make sure it works properly as a pen finish in and of itself.

You could technically just use Pens Plus alone, if you wanted, but I recommend using the walnut oil as well as it helps to saturate the wood with the pure oil first, before finishing with Pens Plus. Since I started doing that, getting a good, shiny finish has become a lot easier. Well, that, and also sanding to the highest grit I possibly can. For optimal oil penetration, you can do a bit of wet sanding with the pure oil...I do that starting round 1200 grit, just to make sure that the oil really gets into the fibers.


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## jrista (Jan 24, 2022)

boatemp said:


> When you talk about Pens Plus is it Pens Plus or High Friction Pens Plus?  I kinda got confused from reading this thread and what I got from the videos and his different products. Thanks


There is the High Build Friction Polish as well. That is basically a walnut oil version of O.B. Shine Juice, which is Boiled Linseed Oil, shellac and denatured alcohol. The Drs Woodshop High Build Friction polish just swaps out the oil used. I no longer use just your basic shellac friction polish on pens anymore. Shellac, chemically speaking, reacts to the fluids in sweat, and will break down. A high build friction polish is great for decorative items that won't be handled a lot...for pens, which are handled all the time, you need more.

Pens Plus is purpose-formulated as a pen finish. When applied properly, and allowed to cure properly before handling, then the finish is quite durable. Again, its not a plastic, so its not a hard finish that will survive the nuclear holocost. It is an oil, shellac and microcrystal wax finish. It probably won't survive a nuke, but it should survive enough average pen handling. It is totally non-toxic as well once cured. I think the key, based on content on the Doctor's Woodshop site, is that the oil under friction is driven into the wood, the shellac hardens as a film over the wood, and the microcrystal wax forms a durable, fingerprint resistant shield on top of the shellac to protect it from our sweat. The microcrystalline wax is synthetic, and uses very small, regular crystals, which on his site he contrasts to carnauba wax which has large and irregular crystals. The microcrystalline wax produces a clearer, more reflective finish. Key, though, is to let it all dry and cure before handling.

There are a few things I have found produce the best, most durable finish with Pens Plus:

1. Saturate wood with pure oil first, can be wet sanded with the walnut oil.
2. Sand to highest grit you possibly can, the wood should be shining before you even put a finish on.
3. Don't build the finish up too much...too thick and it can get sticky no matter what you do.
4. Do NOT handle the blank until the finish is truly dry and cured (might take a day or so), otherwise IME it can compromise the finish.
5. High friction polish the first few coats (4-8 coats, maybe 10) with as much heat as you can manage. If by 8 coats you still are seeing dull spots, put on a final thin coat with light friction, and let dry in a warm area (70 deg, i.e. indoors). If you still see some dry/dull spots, put the blank back on the lathe and friction polish it again to buff out the dull spots. May also buff out dull spots.


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## MedWoodWorx (Jan 24, 2022)

boatemp said:


> When you talk about Pens Plus is it Pens Plus or High Friction Pens Plus?  I kinda got confused from reading this thread and what I got from the videos and his different products. Thanks


You mean pens plus and high build friction polish? I am talking about pp, its like a watery emulsion. I also ordered walnut oil which is supposed to be polymerised oil i.e. it cures more quickly. I intend to use it for sanding and then finishing the pen with PP


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## boatemp (Jan 24, 2022)

jrista said:


> There is the High Build Friction Polish as well. That is basically a walnut oil version of O.B. Shine Juice, which is Boiled Linseed Oil, shellac and denatured alcohol. The Drs Woodshop High Build Friction polish just swaps out the oil used. I no longer use just your basic shellac friction polish on pens anymore. Shellac, chemically speaking, reacts to the fluids in sweat, and will break down. A high build friction polish is great for decorative items that won't be handled a lot...for pens, which are handled all the time, you need more.
> 
> Pens Plus is purpose-formulated as a pen finish. When applied properly, and allowed to cure properly before handling, then the finish is quite durable. Again, its not a plastic, so its not a hard finish that will survive the nuclear holocost. It is an oil, shellac and microcrystal wax finish. It probably won't survive a nuke, but it should survive enough average pen handling. It is totally non-toxic as well once cured. I think the key, based on content on the Doctor's Woodshop site, is that the oil under friction is driven into the wood, the shellac hardens as a film over the wood, and the microcrystal wax forms a durable, fingerprint resistant shield on top of the shellac to protect it from our sweat. The microcrystalline wax is synthetic, and uses very small, regular crystals, which on his site he contrasts to carnauba wax which has large and irregular crystals. The microcrystalline wax produces a clearer, more reflective finish. Key, though, is to let it all dry and cure before handling.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the education.  I really needed that.  Pretty clear now!


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## SabertoothBunny (Jan 25, 2022)

boatemp said:


> When you talk about Pens Plus is it Pens Plus or High Friction Pens Plus?  I kinda got confused from reading this thread and what I got from the videos and his different products. Thanks



Pens Plus and the High Build Friction Polish are 2 different products from Doctor's Woodshop. He has a variety of different finishes for different types of projects. The Pens Plus is what we are all talking about specifically in here and it can be used for other applications besides just pen making. Here is his website but you can buy it other places: https://www.doctorswoodshop.com/


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## TonyL (Jan 25, 2022)

His High Build Friction Polish does not contain wax (as does PP), according to the inventor. I use both products (separately)  when not using CA.


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## jrista (Jan 25, 2022)

I have been finishing a batch of pens for a customer. I started capturing some photos last night of the process, to see if I can show you guys how each blank looks before oil, after oil, and after PP. 

I've done stuff with Carnauba wax before (with a buffing wheel), and that just never produces the same kind of clarity as the microcrystalline synthetic wax does. I think that is really the magic ingredient that makes PP what it is, and allows you to get that crystal clear shine. 

I've been honing my technique with the finish as well. More and more, I am realizing that the sanding job is absolutely CRITICAL to getting a good result with PP. Because it is an oil based finish, when I first started using it, I never sanded past 800 grit, and I had a lot more problems with dry/dull spots. Since I have started sanding to 2000 grit or more (with Zona paper, you can get down to 1 micron, which I think is around the same as an 18000 grit micromesh, over 10000 grit normal sandpaper), the blanks themselves are shiny and super smooth end to end before I even apply a finish. 

For many wood turned items, this high grit sanding is avoided, as it can close off the pores of the wood...but with Pens Plus, I have found that is a very important part of the process. If the wood pores are able to soak up a lot of the finish, then they do, and you end up with dry/dull spots that can be hard to correct and ultimately require too much of the finish. Unlike with CA, which is a plastic that you build up layer by layer until you have a thick enough acrylic surface that you can sand it down and polish it up, with PP too much buildup leaves you with a soft waxy surface that under friction just gets sticky and moves around. 

With this latest batch of pens, I'm only applying 2-3 coats of PP, and really its probably wrong to call them coats. I apply a liberal coating for the first coat, then only put a tiny, tiny dab of PP on the piece of paper towel I'm using to perform subsequent passes and polish the finish to the crystal-clear shine. So its not really "coats" but more, as with any shellac-based friction polish, blending subsequent layers of the finish together and buffing/burnishing the finish in to produce the desired result. It doesn't build up...one of the pens I accidentally sanded below the diameter of the pen parts, and will have to remake, because I've tried to build the finish up, and with proper technique that simply does not happen with PP. It is not thick, and you really don't want it thick. You want it to flow and cure properly so that it coats the wood, and so that the oil is driven into the wood, the shellac forms a film finish, and the wax cures on top of all of it as a crystal clear shine and fingerprint resistant/sweat resistant coat. 

I found a note on the Doctor's Woodshop page that the microcrystalline was is Cosmolloid 80H, which is apparently the same stuff in Renaissance Wax, that vaunted high end restoration wax. Its the fine, regular crystals in Cosmolloid 80H that give you that crystal clear glass-like shine in the end.


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## cseymour (Feb 18, 2022)

As far as the PP caps -- I wonder if you could replace the default cap with one of these:


			Amazon.com


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## jrista (Feb 18, 2022)

OOPS...forgot about posting some photos to this thread. I think I took them, just forgot to process and share them... I'll see if I can do that tomorrow.


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