# Stabilize regular or dyed?



## chippin-in (Feb 17, 2018)

I am going to stabilize some pen blanks I have cut up. Spalted hackberry and spalted oak. I don't do pens so I would end up selling them.
My question: 
Is one way (dyed or regular) more popular than the other or not? Or does it just matter what they look like after?

I have about 35 or 40, maybe just do half and half?

Thanks
Robert


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## DKMD (Feb 18, 2018)

For my tastes, I prefer most spalted wood to be natural... I don’t think the dye adds as much to spalted stuff. Burly or highly figured woods look great with dye or natural.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## Rich P. (Feb 18, 2018)

I too am a fan of natural. I have been turning pens for 20 years and there is something about the natural beauty of wood. I have never turned an acrylic pen or blank that has been dyed.

RichP.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 2


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## Sprung (Feb 18, 2018)

If you're looking at it only from the aspect of selling, it really depends on where or in what market you're planning to sell. In some places I sell, I can't barely sell a dyed blank to save my life. In other places I sell, I can't sell a natural/clear stabilized blank to save my life. And in other places I sell, I've found the people too cheap to pay a fair, or even a discounted, price, so I don't sell there anymore.

I have generally found, however, that when it comes to spalted woods, especially pieces with good or heavy spalting, clear stabilized usually sells better; the colors can compete too much if there's already a lot going on in the blank.

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Informative 1


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