# Oil Pen Finish?



## Cody Killgore (Dec 18, 2013)

Had a quick question for you guys. I am going to make a pen for someone for Christmas. I was wanting to get a glossy finish but without CA. With knives, I sometimes use a few coats of tru-oil and can achieve a pretty high shine finish if desired. Is there something better that you know of for pens? I'm wanting this to be a real using pen that I know is going to get beat up a bit. With that in mind, I was trying to steer clear of CA because of the brittleness. Also, it's going to have to be pretty quick. I won't be able to work on it until this weekend. 

I was almost thinking I could dip it like BrentWin does his calls but I'm now thinking the layer of varnish may not be good to have inside the barrel. Any ideas would be awesome!


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## rdabpenman (Dec 18, 2013)

Cody Killgore said:


> Had a quick question for you guys. I am going to make a pen for someone for Christmas. I was wanting to get a glossy finish but without CA. With knives, I sometimes use a few coats of tru-oil and can achieve a pretty high shine finish if desired. Is there something better that you know of for pens? I'm wanting this to be a real using pen that I know is going to get beat up a bit. With that in mind, I was trying to steer clear of CA because of the brittleness. Also, it's going to have to be pretty quick. I won't be able to work on it until this weekend.
> 
> I was almost thinking I could dip it like BrentWin does his calls but I'm now thinking the layer of varnish may not be good to have inside the barrel. Any ideas would be awesome!



No need to get any finish inside the barrel.
Just plug one end with Play-Doh and put a dowel in the other end.

Les

Reactions: Like 4


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## ironman123 (Dec 18, 2013)

Good idea Les. I use modler's clay for that. Quick glossy finish like Dave said is Woodturners Finish.

Ray

Reactions: Like 1


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## NYWoodturner (Dec 18, 2013)

Cody - Funny you should mention that. I was late starting on a 22 pen order for Christmas. CA is my go to finish, but the fumes just tear me up and it takes more time that I have. My recent venture into knife making landed a bottle of tru-oil on the bench. I have done all 22 in tru-oil and am very pleased. I had very good luck with applying it on the lathe, then flexing my lamp down to put the bulb a few inches from the barrel to act as a heat lamp and help to set the finish. Those I was able to call done with two coats. The last half I applied the finish inside (Shop was too cold) They were not spinning on the lathe so I didn't get as smooth a finish even after knocking it back with steel wool and applying another coat. The second half will go back to the lathe for a finish, but I definitely give two thumbs up for tru-oil as a pen finish. It does a good job of popping the grain, gives a nice glossy finish and is very durable. It may become my #1 for pens. The time savings is incredible.


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## Cody Killgore (Dec 18, 2013)

NYWoodturner said:


> Cody - Funny you should mention that. I was late starting on a 22 pen order for Christmas. CA is my go to finish, but the fumes just tear me up and it takes more time that I have. My recent venture into knife making landed a bottle of tru-oil on the bench. I have done all 22 in tru-oil and am very pleased. I had very good luck with applying it on the lathe, then flexing my lamp down to put the bulb a few inches from the barrel to act as a heat lamp and help to set the finish. Those I was able to call done with two coats. The last half I applied the finish inside (Shop was too cold) They were not spinning on the lathe so I didn't get as smooth a finish even after knocking it back with steel wool and applying another coat. The second half will go back to the lathe for a finish, but I definitely give two thumbs up for tru-oil as a pen finish. It does a good job of popping the grain, gives a nice glossy finish and is very durable. It may become my #1 for pens. The time savings is incredible.



Awesome. Glad you got some so you could let me know how it worked . I love tru-oil. It's an awesome finish. I just wasn't sure. I know that it takes some time to dry and so was a little worried that it would take me too many days to get it applied. If the lathe was at my house, it wouldn't be such a big deal...but I've got to drive over to my grandfather's place. I'll experiment with it. Thanks for the input!

I was thinking about getting some woodturners finish after what Dave said, but I'm not sure I could get it shipped and delivered in time.

Scott, any idea how long it took each coat to dry??

Reactions: Like 1


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## Cody Killgore (Dec 18, 2013)

goslin99 said:


> Amazon prime yo!
> 
> Thanks Scott.. now another thing I must get and try.. truoil



I looked and couldn't find any that was Prime-Eligible!!

Reactions: Like 1


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## NYWoodturner (Dec 18, 2013)

I would put the finish on turning about 300 RPM. I don't have a DRO so I'm guessing, but it was just fast enough to prevent ridges from building as I wiped the finish from side to side. I used a piece from a cotton t-shirt. No luck with paper towels. Then I would turn the lathe down as low as it would go and flex the lamp with a 75 watt bulb in it to about 1.5 inches away from the barrel. I would let it spin like a chicken on a rotisserie for about 5 minutes, and the finish would be set to about a half past tacky. I did them all, the let it sit overnight. Steel wool to smooth and a second coat. Let that sit overnight and its ready. much easier than CA. I could have never done 22 pens in that time frame. Like I said I am not happy with what I did NOT apply on the lathe and am going to re-do them, but thats an issue with my execution and not the finish.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Cody Killgore (Dec 18, 2013)

Thankyou for the advice! Just drove over to the grandparents...gonna try a quick experiment.

Reactions: Like 2


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## NYWoodturner (Dec 18, 2013)

Keep us posted on how it goes!


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## manbuckwal (Dec 18, 2013)

And just when I get my first pen done with CA

Reactions: Like 2


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## Cody Killgore (Dec 18, 2013)

I put a couple coats of oil on a piece of wood that I quickly turned round. I didn't have much time and I think I would have liked to put more coats on. I may continue it tomorrow. The grain isn't quite completely filled up yet. Lookin really good so far though. I'll post some pictures later.


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## ChrisK (Dec 19, 2013)

Cody,
I don't know how you apply oil on your pens. But a way to fill the grain with oil is to apply it with oiled sandpapers. With flatwork it works fine. It should be OK with pens but I'm not sure about the durability of this "sealer" (as with every finish) for our pens are harshly treated.


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