Pens Plus Over Polymerized Linseed Oil?

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builtbybill

builtbybill

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Hello, and happy holidays!

Got a question for some of you expert pen finishers. So, I am getting ready to get some Pens Plus, after all of the great reviews, but I was wondering if I could use polymerized linseed oil, instead of walnut oil, when sanding? The reason I am asking is because I already have a large container of Walrus Oil's polymerized linseed oil (https://walrusoil.com/products/polymerized-linseed-oil), and since I don't make a ton of pens I really don't want to purchase the walnut oil if it isn't absolutely necessary.

Another option that I was looking at was using thinned down lacquer (4:1, thinner to lacquer) as a sanding sealer and then using Pens Plus on top of that. Has anyone ever done this and, if so, what were the results?

TIA,
Bill
 
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builtbybill said:
Hello, and happy holidays!

Got a question for some of you expert pen finishers. So, I am getting ready to get some Pens Plus, after all of the great reviews, but I was wondering if I could use polymerized linseed oil, instead of walnut oil, when sanding? The reason I am asking is because I already have a large container of Walrus Oil's polymerized linseed oil (https://walrusoil.com/products/polymerized-linseed-oil), and since I don't make a ton of pens I really don't want to purchase the walnut oil if it isn't absolutely necessary.

Another option that I was looking at was using thinned down lacquer (4:1, thinner to lacquer) as a sanding sealer and then using Pens Plus on top of that. Has anyone ever done this and, if so, what were the results?

TIA,
Bill
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I suppose you could do an experiment before applying to the actual pen. What kind of wood are you talking about? I use walnut oil because i can find it more easily than blo
 
I don't have an exact answer, but some thoughts. Pens Plus contains walnut oil plus the wax and shellac components, so changing from one oil to another should not be an issue. I used to use walnut oil, but have family members with sever nut allergies, so I stopped using all walnut based products and moved to Walrus Linseed Oil with no bad results anywhere in how I did things, but all my use of oils is not on pens, but on other turned wood projects. Your though on cutting lacquer to make a sanding sealer is pretty much what the Deft family of products is. Deft finish is lacquer and the Deft Sanding Sealer is cut to about 4/1 from the finish. https://www.amazon.com/DEFT-PPG-ARCHITECTURAL-FIN-DFT015/dp/B000SKZT9Y?th=1

Again, I have used the Deft products without issue, but have to say I have never used them over an oil finish without sanding first. My feeling is boiled linseed oil (BLO) and the walnut oil should be pretty much interchangeable, so I wouldn't sweat it, but as a precaution, I would do some tests on flat stock just to be sure.

In general, I have stopped using all oil or waxed based friction products on my pens due to the issue of faster wearing of the finish and have nearly 100% moved to GluBoost unless a client specifically says not to. My middle ground on this is a CA/BLO mixed finish which I like and occasionally use, where I am directly mixing the BLO and the CA glue as the finish is applied - and it works really nice and is more durable than straight oil alone.

Good luck!
 
If I'm understanding correctly what Pens Plus actually is then I would say that Pens Plus has Polymerized Oil (probably Linseed) in it along with a shellac used as a sealer and a wax to protect the surface. Polymerized Linseed oil is a wood treatment that will over time harden. Polymerized oils will not go rancid like a standard oil will.
 
Mortalis said:
If I'm understanding correctly what Pens Plus actually is then I would say that Pens Plus has Polymerized Oil (probably Linseed) in it along with a shellac used as a sealer and a wax to protect the surface. Polymerized Linseed oil is a wood treatment that will over time harden. Polymerized oils will not go rancid like a standard oil will.
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Their website says:
Doctor's Woodshop PENS PLUS is a Walnut oil and shellac friction polish combined with microaggregated microcrystal wax (Cosmolloid 80H).
…
PENS PLUS is very similar to Walnut Oil, Carnauba Wax and Shellac Woodturning Finish (DOC-104), differing only in the wax used, synthetic microcrystal vs carnauba.
 
Thanks for all of the help, I have indeed reached out to Mike, just to make sure, but I feel safe using Pens Plus over the polymerized linseed oil. Guess I will keep my fingers crossed that Mike agrees!

Happy Holidays!
 
Gary got the formula right. I called the inventor (nice guy) a few years ago having used two of his products. I don't know how much is going to be absorbed by anthing that contains wax.
 
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