To CA Finish or Not To CA Finish?

Purchased some stabilized Maple Burl from Benpen a few weeks ago and just turned the first blank. Great stabilization and I usually CA finish most wood blanks but decided to no CA finish this one. Sanded through all the micro mesh grits and then used Aussie Oil and just friction finish. There are some voids that are common in burl which I almost always fill with CA and bring down to a nice smooth surface and high gloss. I love Glu Boost it has been working very well but no Glu Boost on this Pen. Nice satin finish with some small voids which add character and some natural feel and taste to the pen. Enjoying mixing it up on this Pen. This pen is probably going to a dear friend of mine that is taking the oath on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, to become a USA citizen.
Thank you Benpen and look forward to turning the other blanks you sent. Pen Kit is PSI American Beauty Gun Metal Item Number PKABGM nice easy Pen to make. The hardest thing about this Pen is pressing in the top you need to watch the top part of the pen because it is an angle and pushes into the tube sideways unless you support it wall to push straight in.

Excellent pen and with a specific purpose! May your friend enjoy it and his new citizenship! He has a great friend too!

To CA or Not to CA - Your choice. Stabilized woods usually do make for great sheen and without the need for CA. CA is every bit as much of a protector as it is for its shine. Stabilizing also helps protect the wood as yours is. And the wood feel is so often cherished as much as the looks.

Excellent work!

TurnTheWorldAround said:

Purchased some stabilized Maple Burl from Benpen a few weeks ago and just turned the first blank. Great stabilization and I usually CA finish most wood blanks but decided to no CA finish this one. Sanded through all the micro mesh grits and then used Aussie Oil and just friction finish. There are some voids that are common in burl which I almost always fill with CA and bring down to a nice smooth surface and high gloss. I love Glu Boost it has been working very well but no Glu Boost on this Pen. Nice satin finish with some small voids which add character and some natural feel and taste to the pen. Enjoying mixing it up on this Pen. This pen is probably going to a dear friend of mine that is taking the oath on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, to become a USA citizen.
Thank you Benpen and look forward to turning the other blanks you sent. Pen Kit is PSI American Beauty Gun Metal Item Number PKABGM nice easy Pen to make. The hardest thing about this Pen is pressing in the top you need to watch the top part of the pen because it is an angle and pushes into the tube sideways unless you support it wall to push straight in.

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A beautiful pen and I think your decision not to USA CA is a good one. It's possible that CA may not agree with the resin used for stabilization. Also, I concur that minor flaws give it character. Filling the (minor) flaws may detract from its unique nature.

BULLWINKLE said:

A beautiful pen and I think your decision not to USA CA is a good one. It's possible that CA may not agree with the resin used for stabilization. Also, I concur that minor flaws give it character. Filling the (minor) flaws may detract from its unique nature.

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@TurnTheWorldAround , I like the wood and the finish a lot. Most of my collection of fine wood pens is either no-gloss or low-gloss (whether CA or some other finish). And except for really large voids (e.g., salmon gum burl comes to mind), I generally keep voids to retain the natural look and feel. I know I may be in the minority here, as I see the wood on most pens is smooth and high-gloss. Just a matter of preference, I guess.