This was my first time turning boxwood. I wanted to upgrade the handle of my espresso machine's portafilter. I’m really pleased with how smooth it turned out! Should I coat the boxwood, or is it fine as is?
Looks great. I think for something like this finishing isn't strictly necessary. The wood will change over time, but I wouldn't be concerned with it getting dirty or stained like mentioned below. It'll just add character, if anything.
One thing to consider would be mineral oil (found in the laxatives section in the grocery store, usually). It's cheap and will help keep the wood nice.I use it on my cutting board, and it needs to be reapplied every so often for that use case.