Thread: My New "Custom" brushes

OK! Maybe I should move this to the "Workshop", but I need some help from someone who has worked with finishing cocobolo. I knew going in that this would be a challenge trying to get this to some water-resistant finish for a brush handle, but getting any kind of finish at all on these has been a nightmare. I figured I would put a couple of coats of CA and call it done, but getting any kind of smooth finish with CA has been next to impossible. When going over dried CA with 0000 steel wool I get back to bare wood in places. If CA left without any sanding / smothing, surface too rough for my taste.

CA only looks good, and is probably water-resistant, but not able to get it "smooth".

Had read that if sealed with CA you could overcoat with a poly. Poly would not dry.

Had read that if sealed with shellac you cuold overcoat with just about anything. Shellac not adhering evenly and very "cloudy" in places. Have not yet tried any overcoat as shellac is too ugly.

Anybody know anything about this stuff?

Thanks in advance for any help!
Tony

Oh and BTW........I personally have still had not problems working with cocobolo. Maybe I'm not allergic?

Cocobolo can be an oily wood, which means that it does not take to "Hard" finishes sometimes, if you check out the Bell Forest (vendor section) web site and hit the Cocobolo link they have some great ideas as how to cure that...
I am not sure how it would work on a brush handle, but I use tung oil as a finish for Cocobolo scales....

Beautiful handles BTW !!!!!

I tried using a few finishes, and none would dry, they just stayed tacky for many days. I ended up just sanding to 2k and leaving. (Scales BTW) it seems water resistant enough, with the natural oils. I have looked at using pure oils, instead of finishing oils, but I haven't gotten round to it yet. When I do, I will be sure to post my results here.

Glen,

The Tung Oil dried and cured OK? I did not even try this because I thought the Oils from the wood would not "mix" and let the Tung Oil "cure". I have used Tung Oil on many Oak projects years ago and it is really easy to deal with. Just have never tried it on much other than really hard woods.



Old School, Thanks for the input!




Tony

Shellac from a can is such a pain. Making your own from flakes it usually works quite well, the more refined the better, button lac i believe it's called can leave a splotchy brownish surface; super blonde is nearly invisible- i only ever use a couple of thin coats.

Have you tried using a lacquer thinner wash on your cocoB? often this will do the trick, cleaning the oils well enough to allow gluing and finish.

my suggestions is to burnish the piece to a high polish whle spinning on the lathe, wipe it down with LT and dip it in "wipe on" poly let it drip and soak in a little and wipe it off. after that you can just wipe it on ... about 3 or 4 coats you end up with a nice looking rubbed oil finish that is way more protective than oils without the plastic coating look of thick polyurethane finish.

Tried lacquer thinner in front of the CA. Denatured alcohol in front of the shellac. And mineral spirits several times while sanding and between some coats.


CA provides a really nice looking (and I'm assuming durable) finish, just cannot get it on in a smooth coat. It is drying too quickly and as I try to smooth I make further faults.

Coated with CA and just looking from anywhere above 10" - 12 ", these things are stunning! But pick them up and they have way too many rough spots. Would not ever feel right in the hand.

? you lost me. Shellac from cans is well known to have curing problems. I've never been a fan of CA for much of anything Can it not be sanded to smooth level coat? Did you try CA thinner on a rag while the piece is turning? that might smooth it out? Sorry you're having trouble