Thread: Finishing ebony and repinning, washers or not?

Liberon Finishing Oil is good for wood - it has a hardener and polishes to a sheen. You will need 3 or 4 coats with minimum 6 hours in-between.

The inside washers are used for the reasons given above although I think it would take an awful lot of use to wear ebony to such an extent that the blade catches the scales. Another reason was to add a bit of padding to a tapered tang in order that the blade doesn't rub the scales when being closed. You can easily make some by using standard pinning washers and flattening them out with a hammer. Make sure they are thin enough not to be noticed.

They're called thrust washers -- the wafer-thin brass washers we find between the razor's tang and its scales -- and their purpose is to reduce the friction at, and prevent wear around, the junction of tang, scales, and pivot pin. Don't leave home without 'em.

One good thing I find with using washers other than mentioned reasons is that it seems to help the razor open and close more smoothly than without. Plus it adds alittle space so water has a harder time staying put. Ebony can be sanded to a fine grit and left alone. I've tried a light coating of tung oil and it didn't seem to do much that sanding alone wouldn't do. Maybe with more coats it would add more luster I don't know.

The finish depends on the look you want. tung oil is easy but offers little moisture resistance, plus it leaves an amber hue. You could use a wiping varnish like behelens or general finishes in satin semi gloss or gloss and it will be clear. or a few coats of shellac and wet sand with 2k for a nice satin finish. use the zenser bulls eye in the yellow can from lowes or home depot.

Ebony is incredibly close grained and it is naturally moisture resistant, so it does not take much to set it up - I only use Ren Wax and have never had a problem.

I have tried hardening-type oil finishes like tung on very dense hardwoods before, but they don't seem to work that well - not enough penetration I suppose, and tend to buff off. Maybe I just didn't expreriment enough though.

Regards,
Neil

like Neil mentioned ebony is tight grained and the oils dome penetrate as deep. shellac can be thinned with denatured alcohol 50/50 for the first coat, then wipe on with a rag for later coats. it melts into itself like laquer and you can usually apply additional coats in about 10 minutes til you have the look you want, it will cure overnight then finish the finish with a light high grit wet sand to knock of dust nibs then buff and seal with a furniture wax.

many guitar luthiers use the process above on ebony fretboards to keep oil and dirt out of them but it still looks like just wood that's been buff out. look at YouTube under obrien guitars and especially sixgun guitars, lots of good info on finishing exotic woods and domestics as well

oh I forgot another finish I just tried is general finishes wood turner finish. you can apply it with a paper towel, do a coat or two or build a film to gloss. it dries fast and comes in about2oz 8oz pints and quarts and is food safe when cured. awesome stuff it looks like .CA when you build it up and is water based you can use it as a sanding sealer too.