# soft wood treatment?



## rdemler

Is there anything that can be applied to a softer wood like cedar,that would absorb into the wood and make it a little more dent resistant??Thanks for any replies.


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## MJC4

Here is a finish I use on sticks that will get serious use, seems to protect them well. I take spar polyurethane and cut it 50/50 with mineral spirits. I wipe that on with a foam brush, wiping off the excess. Let dry and repeat, you can continue to build the finish with the wipe on with as many coats as you like, two coats seems sufficient for me. Thinning with the min spirits helps the polyurethane soak into the wood. I used to leave it at a couple coats of wipe on urethane. Now, on the advice of other members, after the wipe on is dry I have been applying a coat of full strength spar polyurethane with a brush. Spar polyurethane is for exterior use and is about as much dent /scratch resistance as your gonna get IMHO.

Mark


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## CV3

I second what MJC4 shared. Also Tung oil will soak in to the wood. Let each coat cure / dry well between coats. Two or three coats will also give you a finish that is resistant to minor dents.


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## CV3

Also Midwax and some others make a wood hardener. I have not used it. It may be something you want check out.


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## rdemler

Thank you both for the replies.I will try that soon as I've been making more cedar sticks than anything else.Have a great weekend.


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## yaxley

Lacquer will give a hard finish and I have used it when customers request it, however my preference is tung oil and then a coat of paste wax. FYI


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## rdemler

Thanks yaxley,I'll try all of them till I find one I like.


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## yaxley

> Thanks yaxley,I'll try all of them till I find one I like.


 I'm probably stating the obvious but you can take some sample pieces of different woods and try different finishes. That way you will have a more "scientific" basis for a preference before ruining a masterpiece.


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## gdenby

There was at least one thread sometime ago about using wood stabilizers. Most of the discussion was about how to use them to speed up the curing process for green sticks. They are also often used for firming up wood blanks for pen turning, or knife handle scales. CAS, who hasn't posted in some time, bought sone Pentacryl. Its pricey, but has a good reputation. As I recall, it takes only about 6 mo. to cure the wood. There are several other options.

I had some stuff called Turner's Choice wood stabilizer from CedarCide. It was very aggressive pushing water out of green sticks. It has silicones in it, and purports to do a rapid "fossilization" of the wood. Some months ago I had a piece of spalted soft maple that I thought might make a nice T-top stick handle. Spalting, a form of fungus rot, had made the wood rather mushy. I immersed the carved handle in the solution for about 2 weeks till there was no more air being displaced. (Some people make vacuum chambers to speed the process to an hour.) The resulting wood was firm, somewhat waxy to the feel, and a little darker than at the start. The down side was that it reeked of cedar. I've let it sit on a shelf for a few months, and the odor has finally dropped to where it is not overwhelming.

Considering you have cedar to harden, that stuff might work well for you.

A few weeks ago I found that my elderly uncle had done a poor job maintaining a window casement, and that water has seeped in and started rotting the base of the frame away. (Guess what, Duck tape does not block water as well as a sealing caulk!) I stabilized it w. Elmer's rotted wood repair glue. It dries hard and clear, but rather shiny, and makes the wood look almost wet. I've since read that a similar product from Minwax works a little better, because it seeps farther into the surface. The pics I've seen show that it also makes the wood look damp, and darker.


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## cobalt

Wouldnt you be better off to try a different material for stick making , stabilisers are good but expensive

A varnish type finish it hard and chips snd moisture penertration sets in oftern turns the wood black when this happens, a simple wood finish oil provides ample protection for the shank.i however dont strip the bark of the shanks as it provides a good natural finish . Although i do cover the toppers with varnish .The shank however does take the brunt of any use


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## rdemler

The wood I use is not punky or decaying in any way it's just a soft wood.I don't believe the stabilizers are what I'm looking for.I'm thinking the first few suggestions will work fine.I do appreciate all the replies.


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