What I really think about finishes for wooden pens.
Originally posted on Facebook, updated and posted here at Phil’s request.
I have written about pen finishes on a number of occasions but invariably my views have been constrained either by the need to be comprehensive and inclusive in magazine articles or the need to not get banned from forums for telling people what I really thought of their ideas. Here is what I really think and I don’t care whether you agree with me or not, I am not going to argue with anyone other than to correct matters of fact, but I do hope to stimulate debate.
Friction polish (even if someone has given it a fancy name like Shellawax or Penturners Sauce).
In the dark ages when I started making pens you had a choice, you could use friction polish or friction polish. As a finish for something you are going to handle every day it was and remains truly useless. If you are going to make pens and display them in a cabinet, then it might just be OK but otherwise it really is a waste of time. Some will say that they have used a friction polished pen every day for ten years and it still has a good finish on it. Liar! Liar! pants on fire!! If it has any finish on it at all it has developed a patina from use like on the handle of a well-used chisel. Friction polishes are made up of a mix of waxes or oils and shellac none of which will stand up to the daily use that a pen will be subjected to.
Wax polish (including buffing systems and “hut sticks” and the like).
Wax is not a durable finish for pens. Unless the user is prepared to regularly maintain it, it will not withstand handling. I would not risk using it on pens that I intend to sell. That’s all there is to say really.
CA glue
The clue is in the word glue. It is an adhesive and not a very good one at that. Truth to tell it was never even designed for that purpose and came about by accident when someone was trying to make clear plastic gunsights. It was never ever meant to be a pen finish and although it can work it cracks easily, is prone to adverse reactions to movement or moisture in the timber and can go yellow eventually if cheap stuff is used. Some brands are better than others. The cheap stuff from the pound shop is not the same as the expensive stuff. To those who say it is I refer you to my comments regarding those who say friction polish is a good finish. You might get a good gloss with it and I did use it myself for a while but I never really liked it and nowadays I prefer to use something that was designed as a finish. Incidentally CA gives off nasty fumes to which some people are allergic but they are not toxic contrary to popular misconception. Whether they have any long term ill effects upon human health is something not even the experts can say for certain. See WHO paper here: http://www.who.int/ipcs/publications/cicad/cicad36_rev_1.pdf
Finally on CA. No-one but pen makers thinks CA is a finish. If it was so marvellous why aren't Rolls Royce cars or Steinway Pianos finished with it? I'll tell you why, because it is difficult to apply with consistency, unreliable and cracks if you look at it the wrong way.
Polyurethane Varnishes.
Don’t go there unless you use the “dipping method” that Les Elm describes here:
http://content.penturners.org/library/techniques/pen_finish_dipping_method.pdf
Oil finishes.
Some oil finishes such as gunstock oil can build up to a nice semi-gloss tactile finish but they take time to do properly.
Nitrocellulose lacquer.
Gives a good finish if sprayed but the motor re-finishing industry stopped using it some time ago because of the nasty chemicals it contains. Dries and hardens faster than acrylic lacquer.
Acrylic Lacquer.
There is a reason Acrylic and Melamine lacquers are called finishes. It is because they are finishes not adhesives. Acrylic lacquer is what I use nowadays. Gloss or Satin depending on the desired result. You can try to be clever and wipe it on on the lathe, but I prefer to take the barrel(s) off the lathe and spray them. A lathe is a tool not a constraint. You are allowed to take things off the lathe to finish them. The woodturning police will not come and lock you up for not finishing on the lathe. Leave it to dry (preferably overnight) before putting the barrel(s) back on the lathe and buffing with Farecla or Burnishing cream.
Melamine Lacquer.
Melamine lacquer is Phil Dart’s preferred finish and if I am honest it is just as good as acrylic. I do use it sometimes when I want a satin finish. To many people it results in a finish that looks and feels more like natural wood than can be achieved with acrylic lacquer.
Originally posted on Facebook, updated and posted here at Phil’s request.
I have written about pen finishes on a number of occasions but invariably my views have been constrained either by the need to be comprehensive and inclusive in magazine articles or the need to not get banned from forums for telling people what I really thought of their ideas. Here is what I really think and I don’t care whether you agree with me or not, I am not going to argue with anyone other than to correct matters of fact, but I do hope to stimulate debate.
Friction polish (even if someone has given it a fancy name like Shellawax or Penturners Sauce).
In the dark ages when I started making pens you had a choice, you could use friction polish or friction polish. As a finish for something you are going to handle every day it was and remains truly useless. If you are going to make pens and display them in a cabinet, then it might just be OK but otherwise it really is a waste of time. Some will say that they have used a friction polished pen every day for ten years and it still has a good finish on it. Liar! Liar! pants on fire!! If it has any finish on it at all it has developed a patina from use like on the handle of a well-used chisel. Friction polishes are made up of a mix of waxes or oils and shellac none of which will stand up to the daily use that a pen will be subjected to.
Wax polish (including buffing systems and “hut sticks” and the like).
Wax is not a durable finish for pens. Unless the user is prepared to regularly maintain it, it will not withstand handling. I would not risk using it on pens that I intend to sell. That’s all there is to say really.
CA glue
The clue is in the word glue. It is an adhesive and not a very good one at that. Truth to tell it was never even designed for that purpose and came about by accident when someone was trying to make clear plastic gunsights. It was never ever meant to be a pen finish and although it can work it cracks easily, is prone to adverse reactions to movement or moisture in the timber and can go yellow eventually if cheap stuff is used. Some brands are better than others. The cheap stuff from the pound shop is not the same as the expensive stuff. To those who say it is I refer you to my comments regarding those who say friction polish is a good finish. You might get a good gloss with it and I did use it myself for a while but I never really liked it and nowadays I prefer to use something that was designed as a finish. Incidentally CA gives off nasty fumes to which some people are allergic but they are not toxic contrary to popular misconception. Whether they have any long term ill effects upon human health is something not even the experts can say for certain. See WHO paper here: http://www.who.int/ipcs/publications/cicad/cicad36_rev_1.pdf
Finally on CA. No-one but pen makers thinks CA is a finish. If it was so marvellous why aren't Rolls Royce cars or Steinway Pianos finished with it? I'll tell you why, because it is difficult to apply with consistency, unreliable and cracks if you look at it the wrong way.
Polyurethane Varnishes.
Don’t go there unless you use the “dipping method” that Les Elm describes here:
http://content.penturners.org/library/techniques/pen_finish_dipping_method.pdf
Oil finishes.
Some oil finishes such as gunstock oil can build up to a nice semi-gloss tactile finish but they take time to do properly.
Nitrocellulose lacquer.
Gives a good finish if sprayed but the motor re-finishing industry stopped using it some time ago because of the nasty chemicals it contains. Dries and hardens faster than acrylic lacquer.
Acrylic Lacquer.
There is a reason Acrylic and Melamine lacquers are called finishes. It is because they are finishes not adhesives. Acrylic lacquer is what I use nowadays. Gloss or Satin depending on the desired result. You can try to be clever and wipe it on on the lathe, but I prefer to take the barrel(s) off the lathe and spray them. A lathe is a tool not a constraint. You are allowed to take things off the lathe to finish them. The woodturning police will not come and lock you up for not finishing on the lathe. Leave it to dry (preferably overnight) before putting the barrel(s) back on the lathe and buffing with Farecla or Burnishing cream.
Melamine Lacquer.
Melamine lacquer is Phil Dart’s preferred finish and if I am honest it is just as good as acrylic. I do use it sometimes when I want a satin finish. To many people it results in a finish that looks and feels more like natural wood than can be achieved with acrylic lacquer.
