My first LJ Swap. I made these pinch sticks with Purpleheart and Aluminum sticks and brass/Ebony and brass/Pink Ivory keepers. Here is a link to my blog on the build. http://lumberjocks.com/Bluenote38/blog/127881
Bill your pinch sticks are so elegant and look to be every bit as functional and sturdy. The brass knobs on the ebony and brass blocks against the aluminum and purpleheart beams make a nice contrast.
Sand down to 600grit then 4 coats of Wattco finished off with Johnson's Paste Wax on the Purpleheart sticks. Brass, Ebony, and Pink Ivory to 3000grit then polishing rouge followed with paste wax.
On my next project I may switch over to Zinnsear (Bull's Eye) Sealer, and Arm-R-Seal with 2000 grit final sanding, and a coat of Behlen's Deluxing compound (wax). EarlS uses this method and his stuff comes out absolutely beautiful.