How to finish cocobolo wood?

[MBaban]

What is the best way to finish cocobolo? Is there a way to waterproof?

[justice]

cocobolo is pritty much as water proof as it gets for non stabilized wood. but if you still feel you need to protect it you can use the super glue finnish. this will give the cocobolo a great shine and it will also keep the wood from darkening for some time.

you should sand it from about 320 grit up to 600 grit. then i put about 7 to 10 coats of super glue on the cocobolo then sand again from 400 up to 2000. and it should look like glass coated wood.
ps. when using the super glue make sure to keep the wood to be coated very clean dont touch it with your fingers! the oils from your skin will cause the glue to get that nasty white crytaly look. and you dont want to cover that up with another coat. to advoid this i wipe the wood down with rubbing alchohol befor each fresh coat of super glue.
some times i use a plastic zipplock bag over my fingers to spred the glue around.

and wear a resporator cocobolo is very toxic when in dust form!!

...justin

[TexasJack]

I use Danish wood oil on cocobolo. Sand to 400 grit, then use 800 or 1200 while the first heavy coat of wood oil is on it. If you want to seal the surface, wait at least 3 days for the wood oil to set up.

Some people are very sensitive to cocobolo. The dust can give you a rash like poison ivy. (Luckily, I'm not sensitive to it.) A knifemaker that is particularly sensitive to it told me that it only causes problems when the dust mixes with sweat on your skin. If it's cool in his shop, no problems. If he gets sweaty, the rash is intense.

[Drac]

I use carnauba wax for mine. Doesn't fill to pin prick marks on cocobolo but gives a glass like finish that's a really tuff. I use the solid form used by pin turners. Rock hard, deep gloss, and a major pain to rub out smooth.

I was doing some articles on handle materials for a news letter and one of the materials I was researching was cocobolo. Out side of the skin and lung reaction (I get the lung one so bad it dropped me to the floor and I had to crawl out of my shop, a real good lesson on respirators) it's also a sensitizer. You might not have a reaction the first time or two but it can happen after while. It can also make you more likely to react to other woods.

Jim

[J. T. Kajiwara]

I sand the wood to 600 grit, then I use some of this stuff called Gareosol Clear Gloss Finish. I spray on 3-4 thin coats after lightly sanding with 1000-2000 grit automotive sandpaper between coats. When dry, the scales are nice and shiny. The harder and darker the wood, the nicer it looks. You can order this finish/sealer from Texas Knifemakers Supply.

Use this in a well ventilated area as it permeates the whole house when you use it in the garage like I do.

Have fun!

Go4Broke

[MBaban]

Thanks for the good info guys, now I know what went wrong with my cocobolo. I used tung oil and did not let it dry, after a few hours, gave it a coat of laquer, it never dried. So I had to take it off.

[Mick]

I absolutely love the look of Cocobolo but I'm one of the unlucky ones that is sensitive to the dust-the stuff absolutely drives my allergies nuts! The first time I used it in my shop I sneezed at least thirty straight times and my eyes started watering and itched like crazy.(and this was with a good quality respirator) Anytime I work Cocobolo now I do it outside with a breeze blowing the dust away and shower immediately after I'm finished.

As for how I finish it-Cocobolo being a naturally oily wood will take a natural, high gloss shine when finished to 2000 grit, then buffed with green high gloss polishing compound. (always apply buffing compound sparingly to the wheel.)

(BTW-If you don't have a buffer there is a product called micromesh finishing sheets that will also give the wood a beautiful glass-like finish. After finishing with 2000 grit sandpaper simply follow with micro-mesh 4000, 6000, 8000, 12,000 grit. I was amazed at the finish the first time I used it and have since found out that it works great on most other woods as well. The final 12,000 grit sheet produces a scratch pattern so fine that it cant seen by the human eye)