Tim's dipping method.

[sachbvn]

Tim - I just now had a moment to read your tutorial on dipping pen blanks - well there ain't much to that is there??? Especially if you do a bunch at a time, really not a ton more work if they give a much better result than friction polish.

Thanks for making that for us - I've book marked it!

Zac

[TDHofstetter]

Yeah, it's really straightforward & simple. You'll be really pleasantly surprised with the quality of the finish after friction polish. I've still got a little Mylands & ShellaWax here, but I doubt I'll ever use either again now. The ShellaWax smells DELICIOUS, so it's a pity to see it go, but it just won't hold up to handling, or even time in still air.

The one thing really lacking in the lacquer dipping is... hands-on handling. There's something pleasant about rubbing in a friction polish, pushing the bead to the end of the blank, watching the color blossom underfinger. Dipping in lacquer seems, by comparison, removed & uninvolved. I'll have to try & figure a way to RUB lacquer on & hand-polish it (like French polish with lacquer), just to get the involvement back.

[Doug B]

Yes, it is pretty easy, but not as fast as a CA finish. I use 2 coats of Lacquer and I use corks to seal the tube. Also got to be careful the you don't get a build up of Lacquer on the bottom of the blank - I hold it upside down for a minute or so before hanging it up to dry.

And, for oily woods that CA finish can sometimes have a problem with...it is a very good finish. The smell is bad, but I just do it outdoors and it works very well. If I do it in the shop, I can't hardly stand to be in the same room as the drying pen blanks.

[TDHofstetter]

I kinda' like the smell... and it doesn't bother Marie at all since it's identical to the smell of fingernail polish (which is nothin' but extremely expensive lacquer). I do mine in the basement, next to the pellet stove.