Thread: CA-Super Glue, Finishing Hints and Tips

You dip a finger covered with a glove tip in a puddle of CA and spread it evenly on the scales... I use a paper plate to pour a small puddle of CA onto then dip my finger in there and go


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Originally Posted by Flatland2D

Not sure if I missed this or if it's just obvious, but how should I apply the CA? Should I drip it on and spread it around and let it puddle up on the wood as it's laying flat, or should I let it drip off (apply holding the pieces vertically)? On my test pieces I've been doing the latter, but I'm only two coats in. I'm using thin CA.

You could dip a finger as gssixgun described. What I did was put a drip on the scale and then spread it around evenly. You want a lot of very thin coats because it has to be FULLY dry before you continue with the next coat. It is not like latex paint. If it is not fully cured you will end up with a conspicuously wet/shiny spot that never goes away and you'll have to sand it down and start over.

Also instead of a proper glove I used a piece of plastic wrap for a while and I did a fair bit of the work with my bare fingertip. The trick is to get a layer of dry CA on your fingertip so there is no danger of your skin sticking to the scales (a layer will stay on and you'll have to sand it down and start over). The CA on your finger gets thicker as you work and when you are done it just peels off. If you've ever watched a spy show where they use skin covering to avoid leaving fingerprints it is about like that

There are great tips in here. I think I did a show and tell of the first set of scales with a CA finish back around 2005 and you guys have done a lot with it since then and, frankly, did a lot more with it than I did since I don't do a lot of wood scales anymore. But I'll share some of the things that have worked for me over the years doing this.

I use cue tips as a paint brush. You only get one application per cuetip but they're cheap and handy for all sorts of things, so I didn't mind buzzing through a box of them and it kept the stuff off my fingers (for the most part).

I would lay out the scales and do one side at a time on another throwaway item; paper - any paper will do as long as you get the scales back off before the stuff starts to cure. I never tried wax paper or baking parchment paper, but I'd think both of those things would be excellent.

One trick I would use to make handling the scales a little easier would be to run thread through the pivot hole of the scales and tie it off to make a big loop. That gives you a "handle" for the scales. Additionally, if you use something like a big round peg, you can hang the scales to dry. In fact, you can even paint the stuff on them with the cue tips while they're hanging if you're careful. This is messy stuff and everyone has to sort of figure out how to do it as they go along. I also used to "dip" them using the thread. You do have to make sure the thread is "spread out" a so it doesn't glue itself to the scales after a layer, which is what the big peg is good for. In order to dip them, you have to have a lot of CA and you end up with a good bit of waste, so painting it on is a bit better unless you're doing a lot of scales.

For polishing the stuff up after you've got it properly sanded, I'd recommend trying Flitz metal polish. It's got a very slight abrasive and is good for polishing any plastic as well as metal. It can give an amazingly clear finish that looks to be damned near optical quality.

I think with the tips provided in the initial post, anyone should be well on their way to a really good CA finish without the trial and error the OP went through. Very thoughtful and helpful stuff. Thanks gssixgun for the great tips!

Originally Posted by bondpunk

I have been thinking of what time to finish on a set of wooden sales I am making...this would be great. thank you. I can't contribute on how to apply a nice finish but working with super glue if any one else is like me I seem to get it everywhere or glued to something. A friend told me to clean up with white vinegar, and it works great removing super glue, some epoxy, and varnishes very easily. It's cheap and no harsh chemicals...might be useful to someone else.

Thanks for the honest post about the "joys" of super glue. I am a master at gluing everything other than what I intended to use it for. Last time it got stuck to my fingers and it actually prevented what I was trying to glue to set properly.

I used Devcon 5-minute epoxy to glue a couple of new knots in brush handles and I think I'm going to stick with that for shaving-related jobs.

I use thick an thin, using thin to diulte the thick for the earlier coats. sometimes with the thick you can get away with just a few coats. The trade off is drying time. Thin will dry while you apply it practically. When I use it to finish lathe turned items, I apply it on the lathe, and after letting it spin for about a minute, its usually ready for another coat. Thick can take hours to dry if your coat is too liberal, BUT, it is better for oily woods, filling gaps and fixing cracks and other voids. I mix it with powdered gem stones and smear that into cracks in some of my bowls and pens, gives a nice effect, and makes use of damaged wood.

I have been applying the same amounts of coats to the exposed edges of the wedge. So far it seems like it will be a seemless fit. I have some finish sanding and a polish to do still on the scales and still need to polish the blade too. I will post it when I finish in the show and tell.

Thanks for the info.

Good thread with many excellent tips -

Are there benefits of a CA finish over a poly lacquer finish? I've seen CA used for lacquer repair work in the past but not as a primary finish. It seems like they're both fairly durable and yet brittle finishes. Could CA use on wood started as a stabilizer and just progressed to this level?

Not an expert by any means but have burned through many gallons of lacquer. Just curious since I'm sure there's a reason.

I am not an expert by any means but I will tell you what My conclusion is. I make knife handles. CA glue finish is by far the longest lasting finish I have ever seen. I tried poly, tung oil, lacquer, marine finish and a few other I cant remember now and they all melt from hand oils. CA glue does not.

Originally Posted by Muamero

I am not an expert by any means but I will tell you what My conclusion is. I make knife handles. CA glue finish is by far the longest lasting finish I have ever seen. I tried poly, tung oil, lacquer, marine finish and a few other I cant remember now and they all melt from hand oils. CA glue does not.

Great info. Exactly what I was hoping would pop up.