Pen Finishes

The pen finish refers to the “topcoat” or material applied to the barrel
of the pen. Some finishes are more durable or low maintenance than
others. Some are shinier than others. And still others have a different
feel in the hand. The finish you should select boils down to your
preference and how you think you are going to be using your pen! We
finish all pens that we offer for sale - no naked wood here! We want
your pen to bring you joy for a long time!

A handmade blue and gold resin and aluminum fountain pen rests on a black stand. The plating is chrome and it features a German Iridium nib.

High Gloss

The standard finish for our resin pens, high gloss refers to the polishing process for the resin pens. By going through a multi-step sanding and polishing process, a very high shine is achieved on resin pens.

handmade wood click pen with gun metal plating on a black stand

Cyanoacrylate (CA)

Cyanoacrylate (CA) acts as a very tough, durable, shiny topcoat for wood and hybrid pens. It polishes similar to resin and offers very tough protection. It sits on top of the pen body as a sort of “candy-coat.” It feels smooth in the hand.

A handmade Buckeye Burl wood rollerball pen on a black stand

Renaissance Wax

A minimal finish, Renaissance Wax is a preservation wax that goes on top of wood to protect the wood and ward off fingerprints. It can be refreshed with minimal effort if needed. It preserves the all-natural look and feel of wood.

a handmade australian mallee burl wood pen with gun metal plating on a black stand

Boiled Linseed Oil

Boiled Linseed Oil (BLO) is an oil finish used only on wooden or hybrid pens. It saturates into the wood and offers protection against moisture while darkening the wood and enhancing its grain. BLO dries hard, so the pen will not feel oily in your hand. We normally put Renaissance Wax on top of pens treated with BLO for further protection.