# paste wax on sandpaper



## Emery (Jan 1, 2013)

I watched a youtube video today on making a baby rattle. The turner put paste wax on his sandpaper while finishing. Does anyone do this with wood pens? What is the purpose? Thanks to the info.


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## SerenityWoodWorks (Jan 1, 2013)

I use an old 12000 MM pad to apply the first coat of EEE. For one it holds the wax nicely, 2..It increases the buffing power and 3..well I just like the way it ends up. Is it the right way? the only way? well of course not..ask 10 pen makers how they finish and you will get 15 different answers.


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## MarkD (Jan 1, 2013)

I recently saw a video where a guy used a combination of paste wax and mineral oil when he sanded on the lathe. He said he used it to minimize the sanding dust. It left a satin finish. I don't think you would want to use this method if you want to apply a finish afterwards.

I just found a web page that describes how to make the wax/mineral oil sanding wax.
http://eddiecastelin.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/SandingWax.54184013.pdf


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## jeff (Jan 1, 2013)

MarkD said:


> I recently saw a video where a guy used a combination of paste wax and mineral oil when he sanded on the lathe. He said he used it to minimize the sanding dust. It left a satin finish. I don't think you would want to use this method if you want to apply a finish afterwards.
> 
> I just found a web page that describes how to make the wax/mineral oil sanding wax.
> http://eddiecastelin.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/SandingWax.54184013.pdf



Probably Carl Jacobson 
Carl Jacobson - YouTube

He does some interesting turning.


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## keithkarl2007 (Jan 1, 2013)

When I took a bowl turning course with Glenn Lucas we finished our bowls by coating them generously with walnut oil and then sanded them. It is a way of keeping dust down but also helps to keep the blank from overheating when sanding. Yew for example is very prone to heat checks from over sanding. It could be another cause for blanks like Ebony and Snakewood cracking. Everyone has mentioned before to keep the heat down when boring the blanks but might not realise sanding creates the same heat generation.
For pens you could wet sand the blanks with BLO to keep heat to a minimum and the fine slurry created will also fill porous grained woods like Oak and Wenge


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## Emery (Jan 1, 2013)

jeff said:


> MarkD said:
> 
> 
> > I recently saw a video where a guy used a combination of paste wax and mineral oil when he sanded on the lathe. He said he used it to minimize the sanding dust. It left a satin finish. I don't think you would want to use this method if you want to apply a finish afterwards.
> ...



Yes it was Carl Jacobson.


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## Hexhead (Jan 1, 2013)

And also helps the sandpaper from clogging up.


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