# What And When To Stabilize



## Tclem (Dec 12, 2013)

Being new to turning and game calls I've had all of my spalted woods stabilized but my question is
Do you stabilize all game calls blanks to help with mouth moisture ? If not
What woods need stabilizing?
For instance. I have plenty black walnut I want to use for game calls but do they need stabilized. 
Thanks
Tony


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## SENC (Dec 12, 2013)

My opinion only...
Spalted/soft/punky woods otherwise unusable or risky, always
Stabilizing burls reduces risk of tearout and fracture... though some are certainly stable enough to be turned without stabilization, I'm erring towards stabilizing nearly all burls for calls
Very oily woods, like cocobolo, lignumvitae and bocote don't stabilize well
Which leaves others, like walnut, maple, bubinga - woods plenty stable for turning without (though I think there is value ih highly stressed woods, like high curl, in reducing tearout). For these, I'm having the same debate as you seem to be asking. No doubt, stabilizing would reduce dramatically future movement due to moisture changes as well as help preserve original colors (to some extent)... on the other hand, I have some 60 year old walnut calls that are in great shape. So I think it is largely personal preference. Finish might affect the decision... I love a pure tung oil finish, which repels moisture extremely well and is very durable... whereas with a CA finish stabilization can significantly reduce an internal moisture issue ruining (now or later) the finish.
Look forward to other thoughts.

Reactions: Like 4


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## Gdurfey (Dec 12, 2013)

Me and a couple of friends are jumping into this topic as well and this is exactly our question. We have some box elder burl that we will definitely do. But I got some crosscut eastern cedar from Scott and am wondering. It is fragile, but otherwise solid once you have a tube glued into it. I too look forward to comments.


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## Cody Killgore (Dec 12, 2013)

If I can push my fingernail in it and make a mark, then I stabilize it. But mostly, I stabilize everything, lol!


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## Tclem (Dec 12, 2013)

Well that's a good way to determine weather or not. Guess I'm wondering if calls would need stabilization due to blowing on them. Will the moisture even on the denser woods ruin the call over time. 
Tony


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## BrentWin (Dec 13, 2013)

Tclem said:


> Well that's a good way to determine weather or not. Guess I'm wondering if calls would need stabilization due to blowing on them. Will the moisture even on the denser woods ruin the call over time.
> Tony


 
Not if the call is properly finished inside and out. Never forget that the inside of the call see's a lot more moisture than the outside.


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## Tclem (Dec 13, 2013)

So if I'm doing a ca glue finish it should probably be stabilized since it would be impossible to get to the inside. And if it isn't stabilized then I could use your dip finish. By the way I used it on some walnut handles for a cutlery set I'm making and it looks GOOD.


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## Tclem (Dec 13, 2013)

goslin99 said:


> You can CA the inside with a q-tip.
> FYI


Ahhhhhhhh u is a genius. Dat whys I comes 2 dis site.

Reactions: Like 1


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## SENC (Dec 13, 2013)

When I CA finish unstabilized calls, I will oil the inside (qtip, rage, etc.). Many burnish the tone channel, too. Ideally, re-oiling shoukd be done periodically if getting heavy use (just like wiping down a shotgun to prevent rust). I rarely CA finish a call I think will get heavy use... though a protective finish, CA is hard and brittle and as such subject to dings and scratches in the finish... since it is hard to refinish, I don't like it on "daily users". More of a finish for a call that will spend most of is time on a shelf.

Reactions: Like 2


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## haddenhailers (Dec 13, 2013)

Tony, I personally have everything stabilized that isn't ABW or hedge. It just helps ease my mind that it won't move so much. I can't speak for an oil finish because I've never done one.

Just my 2 cents.

Andrew


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## Tclem (Dec 13, 2013)

I have gotten a lot better with my ca finishes and notice they shine stabilized wood very well. I've got that black walnut tree we cut down and as told to me it had a lot of sap wood so I'm going to make call blanks with them instead of bowls now. 
Thanks for all the information

Tony


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## Tclem (Dec 13, 2013)

Here is one I'm working on. Yes I like the sap wood but I'm really think about cutting up blanks out of most of it amd getting it stabilized and on smaller pieces making blanks and drilling out pith like we talked about in other forum

Reactions: Like 2


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## Molokai (Dec 13, 2013)

Cody Killgore said:


> If I can push my fingernail in it and make a mark, then I stabilize it. But mostly, I stabilize everything, lol!


I call it fingernail test. Mine has janka meter installed.

Reactions: Like 2


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