Ok, so what is burnishing exactly? And what is a "stiff leather edge". I'd like to give this a try, but not understanding the process. Thanks.
I am pleased that you asked.
Burnishing is the process of " rubbing the surface of the wood " briskly in order to bring out the grain.
The wood itself, can be looked at as a stack of closely nit fibers.
When you are working with burl, it is a stack of fibers that have been tied together in knots, so to speak.
When you sand these fibers, they are being "cut" by the abrasives. Or in other words you are shearing the fibers of the wood.
When you burnish, this process, " molds" "blends" and "polishes the wood fibers, at the surface.
The end result, is a very smooth highlighted surface, that when waxed, looks almost like a piece of marble.
You can burnish using the side of a 1/4 inch brass rod, a stiff piece of 9 or 10 oz leather; blue jeans material makes for a great burnishing tool.
Try it by sanding a piece of stabilized wood to a 1200 grit finish, this is where many people stop. From here, hold the block firmly in one hand, while in the other you use the edge of the rod or leather to "stroke" the wood along the grain, using pressure and a brisk motion. Watch the surface of the wood and you will see the grain highlights appear with more intensity. Finish with the blue jeans material, again using a rolled edge to "burnish" the wood.
I would be interested in how you like this technique.
Good luck, Fred
