What's your preferred finish for Chip Carvings?

[ghaugen]

What's your preferred finish for Chip Carvings?

Thanks.

[paolo59]

Of course sealer + wax.
Shellac is the best (for me) but it needs a lot of time and care in applying on the carved surfaces.

[papasar]

I use Minwax Poly spray both satin and semi-gloss. I also use them prior to carving to seal the surface so the stain only takes in the cuts.
Bill K.

[CarverRog]

Originally Posted by papasar

I use Minwax Poly spray both satin and semi-gloss. I also use them prior to carving to seal the surface so the stain only takes in the cuts.
Bill K.

I'm with you Bill, seal the piece before you carve it whether you are staining or not. I found that pencil marks are easier to remove from sealed wood than unsealed. As for the top coat I use a Deft spray lacquer. I like Deft because it dries very quickly and with each additional light coat it melts into the last coat which makes a very nice finish. I don't use a poly coat because of it's drying time and the pieces I make won't be handled so a hard coat is not needed. I can complete, start to finish, a stained and 6 coats of Deft lacquer in less than 45 min.

[papasar]

Rog,
Now you got me thinking. Seems I'm always in a hurry after carving and your method sounds good.
Thanx,
Bill K.

[ghaugen]

Ok, how about this. Is there a preferred finish that isn't a "spray" application? I'm not a fan of aerosol. Any recommended alternatives?

[papasar]

Minwax has a wipe-on poly that works very well. I'v used this when I ran out of spray. Does the same thing for me.
Bill K.

[Steve Reed]

My answer is "it depends"! Like everything else in carving. Sometimes I spray/seal then carve. This works for me if I'm using a gel stain finish. The stain only adheres in the carved areas. Other times I will stain, then carve, this leaves the carved area light, looks good with a dark stain. Sometimes I paint, then carve, similar to the above. My preferred method though is to carve, then spray with deft. This gives the basswood a nice golden tint that I really like. Just my thoughts, many will differ. Have fun!

[kitaye]

I prefer to spray with poly, then use a dark gel stain to get into the cuts, then a lighter stain for the overall piece. It is is for food use I usually just use walnut or olive oil.

[meipo]

I am one of the people who use Minwax Wipe-On. It takes a little work to make sure all the cuts get the poly but not pooling, but it is well worth it, particularly for pieces that may be in touch with moisture (like coasters and trays). When oiling, I took the advice of Del Stubbs of Pinewood Forge -- Flax Oil or Walnut Oil. Once polymerized, the wood becomes water and stain proof. However, it takes a looong time for it to dry . . . .

I tried using spray before, but I can never manage to get a smooth finish. I called the Minwax customer service for advice and was told that I need to spray directly at the wood without letting the droplets spend too much time in the air to drop and then deposit on the wood. Yeah, things got a little better, but is never comparable to using Wipe On. Any advice on improving my spraying skills?

Paolo59: How do you avoid excessive wax from getting into the bottom of the cuts?