finish for rosewood

[Wayne Spence]

I have a small (3" diameter) rosewood bowl sanded with 800 grit. It looks so good I am thinking of finishing with the Beall system sans carnuba wax. It will not be used for holding food or liquid, probablly not for holding anything but polluted air. Any suggestions for finishes?

[John Hart]

Sounds like a winner to me Wayne. Rosewood is such a beautiful wood, with a very touchable texture. If you can get away with buffing in some Carnuba....you got my vote.

[Thom Sturgill]

Try Ren wax (http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Finishing___Pen___Project_Finishes___Renaissance_W ax___ren_wax?Args=) instead of carnuba.

[David Hullum]

I use good ol Deft rattle can.

[Mauricio Ulloa]

Hi,

When I use this wood and finish it with carnauba, the gloss goes away with time and I end up loosing customers.

I try not to apply any finish at all. Sand up to 600 grit and then polish with tripoly and white diamond and that's it.

If you want to apply any finish after that, I got good results with water based gels.

Best Regards and good luck with it!

[Prashun Patel]

...sans carnuba wax...

Do you mean with or without wax.

Rosewood's got great natural color. A good wax buffing is how I'd go.

[Wayne Spence]

I meant without or absent in the use of the word sans. In another thread close to this one there has been some discussion of the Beall system and the use of Carnuba wax. There is apparently some finger prints etc. with the Carnuba wax. It surprises me because of its hardness but I would rather not use it than find out the hard way. I haven't used any Renaissance wax in years. In the late 1970's Jim Krenov mentioned using it in one of his articles in Fine Woodworking. You couldn't fine of jar or can of it for months after that word was out.

Thanks to all for the fine comments.

[Allen Neighbors]

When I finish Rosewood... any type of it... I always use a lacquer finish, and, when cured (overnight or so), I always buff with Tripoli, White Diamond, and Carnauba. Those pieces that are still in my house are still shiny.
If you get fingerprints with carnauba wax, you're using too much. It's really easy to use too much.

[John Beaver]

The shiniest piece I ever made was rosewood with lacquer and buffed. I've often left it unfinished too, but the lacquer really makes it shine.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I like lacquer on rosewoods. I buff with the 3 wheels but Ren wax is the only wax I will use.

[Brian Kent]

I started polishing my cocobolo infill with micro-mesh up to 12000 grit. Wow. Better than Beall's. Better than waxed.