Stabilizing question

[bjbear76]

I've seen pen blacks that are stabilized and visually you can tell it's stabilized by the texture. But some blanks I've received, you can't tell it's been stabilized. What's the difference? Is one cactus juice and the other something else?
The reason I ask is I'd like to have some larger pieces of burl stabilized but I don't want to have the stabilizing residue visible. I want the natural edges of the burl to actually look natural. Can that be done?

Thanks, Bill

Any recommendations who could do this for me?

 

[matt.mackinnon]

I have bought stabilized wood and it definitely looks different that the stabilizing that I now do myself. But in answer to your questions.. i don't think that you can do what you are asking for, or at least I have tried with limiting success.

What I did end up doing for a burl in a pen was to cast the burl in water clear alumilite and then afterwards stabilize the casting in cactus juice. That way you could still see the outside bit of the burl along with the inner beauty of the wood and it was all protected inside a clear cast. It looked interesting, but then you have still got to deal with the brass tube. Might have been better with a bottle stopper.

With all the cactus juice stabilizing that I have done, there is residue hardened stabilizer on the outside of the wood when you bake it. I have tried heating it up multiple different ways and nothing comes out prestien clean.

 

[Edward Cypher]

Might ask Curtis about this if anyone has done it it would be him but I agree with Matt.

 

[lwalper]

Depending on how big a piece you're working on I've just saturated the parts in thin CA. May have to do it several times, but it seems to hold loose bark and small pieces that would otherwise fly off in place.