Super glue finish? Uh...yeah!

Bob Ohlemann

Bob Ohlemann

Joined
Dec 5, 2013
Messages
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I use CA glue in the shop all the time for temporary fixturing and such. I even filled a small void once on a handle scale with the stuff. Today I decided to try it as a finish on some stabilized Hawaiian Koa. I sanded everything to 800 grit then gave a light once over on just the wood with a clean piece 800 grit just to get rid of the discoloration from the 416. I then gave the knife a good air blast to clean any dirt out of the pores. I donned a disposable glove and smeared on two coats of CA with my finger working to get it into the pores of the wood but trying not to get too much on the rest of the handle/knife. I let it set up for about 30 minutes and then came back and started sanding with 1000grit, then worked to 1500 and finally 2000. I buffed out the bolsters on my big, fast buffer with green compound and then went to the smaller buffer with a 4" wheel and pink scratchless compound. I'm sold! On a high chatoyance wood like this, it is amazing!

I don't believe the entire surface of the wood is covered with CA. I sanded pretty well and certainly removed it from the front and rear bolsters and the pins. I think the gloss is from the CA that remained filling the pores after sanding. I know others have a lot more experience with this but, I was impressed enough that I thought it was worth posting.

Bob

Untitled by Ranger_Bob, on Flickr
 
Very nice Bob. Bruce Bump made a post about his process for a CA finish. I can't remember if it's here or KD's. Jess
 
Looks very nice!
Here's another trick for CA on handles: I did the CA drench and polish on a kitchen knife, and it looked great but was too slippery when wet. So then I used the cloth backside of an old abrasive belt, put it on the belt grinder and used that to buff the handle. It wasn't quite as polished but the grain showed through very nicely, and the grip was much less slippery. No pics alas b/c it was a gift to a friend
 
I read Bruce Bumps post a while ago and another one about the same thing. I've done two handles with a CA finish and on both of them I have done 4 or 5 coats with sanding in between each coat with a buff after. It gives them a rock hard finish and looks fantastic. A lot of work and fresh air required.
 
Thanks for the compliments guys. I too have read Bruce Bump's thread on using CA. There are several threads and there are a few really good videos by pen turners on Youtube. The idea of using CA as a finish would most certainly never have crossed my mind without the generous sharing of others in this community. I just wanted to share my experience and results. I will certainly be using this technique again.

Bob
 
That knife looks great. Before the posts that Bruce B. did I'm guessing 15-17 years ago,
in Blade magazine there was a pretty descriptive artilce of the process. I don't remember
the maker but George Herron might have done it. I did a slug of knives with it after the article
and still occasionally do. Great finish, easy to keep clean, even fairly easy to do repairs on.
Cool and slow with not a lot of pressure on the buffer.
Ken.
 
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That is a Great Looking finish...Well done!
 
Looks great. My only reservation is - how does it hold up for a woods use knife (hunter or skinner) and is it UV stabilized or will the UV destroy it after a couple of years of use?

Tim
 
I've got one with super glue over burl oak that I've been doing deer with for
5 years. Wipe off the blood and its good next year. Would I leave it laying in the back
window of a car in the summer? probably not. I'd really like to know "what" would be
a more durable finish.
Ken.
 
that knife does look very nice. I have to try this. I never trust myself enough to do these sorts of things. I always convince myself it is not working, and then just sand it all off.
 
the finish is very nice, and i like that kind of shine on a figured wood. The reason i had not yet tryied is because i'm afraid to have issues at the boundaries with the metal parts....
Great results anyway and requires way less time than oil finishing, that's nice!!
 
I've started working with a superglue finish on some woods sometime early last year.

I've found that it's especially nice one the "planer" woods. The ones with little figure to it. It truly brings out the figure in those.

Things like simple Walnut and simple straight grained Maple start looking AMAZING when they have a nice superglue finish. It just makes the grain pop and gives depth to the whole handle.
 
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