Advice Needed: Finish Coat for Wood Handles

JackstrawIII

JackstrawIII

Joined
Jan 25, 2015
Messages
427
Hey makers, thanks in advance for your responses.

I'm looking for a better option for handle coating. What I'm looking for is something that:
1. Can be applied by dipping
2. Dries rock hard and perfectly clear
3. Finishes and polishes well
4. Is waterproof


So far I've tried the following, and they all have their pros and cons:
1. Waterlox - this gives the most "real wood" feel, but it doesn't fill any natural voids/cracks in the wood, etc. and I'm not sure it really gives the waterproof durability over the long term.
2. Lacquer - this gives a really smooth and great finish, but it dries white in any voids/cracks, and it tends to get fairly scratched.
3. CA Glue (superglue) - this gives my favorite finish. Totally waterproof, scratch resistant, and polishes nicely. The only problem is you can't dip it, you have to smear/spray it on in a zillion coats, which is really inconvenient and difficult to get an even coat cover.

Like I said, I'm looking for something that fits all the criteria above. Thanks.
 
I'm not sure what you want exists. If it did it would be wildly popular. Tru-oil sounds like what you want other than being able to dip it. It takes a few coats but is easy to use. I hope you find something because we all would like to use it also!
 
i use tung oil because i have read it seeps into the wood, whereas the ca glue and and other finishes sit on the surface. i also realized how it comes out depends on the technique. some guys soak/dip it, some rub some on with a rag and wipe it off before it gets tacky. i get a more 3d finish on curly maple if i rub it continually for 4 min with a heavily soaked piece of rag or towel. if you keep rubbing and applying more it won't get tacky. if you want to fill grain, apply lots of oil to the handle and sand it lightly with 400 or 600 grit. then wipe lightly with a cloth and let dry. the sawdust and oil will make a paste that will fill grain and harden. it comes out glossier and shinier if the first coat is totally dry before applying the second coat. if the first coat is not totally dry it comes out more of a matte finish. i make sure its dry by walking up to the knife and sniffing it without picking it up. if i smell the oil, its not dry. usually takes 2 days. i use steel wool between coats.
 
^^^^ and if it becomes too glossy just knock the sheen down,lightly sanding with something high grit. you can put on as many coats as you want using danish oil and this technique, plus it has a wonderful lustre . you can also get interesting ,and reversible if necessary, results by using a wood polish paste wax that dries slightly and then needs to be rubbed out,after the oil has become totally dry. otherwise try gel poly-urethane:it doesn't drip or run and doesn't need sanding between coats. comes in matte and glossy, maybe semi-gloss. woodturners love it.
 
The idea is not to build up a bunch of coats on top of the wood. You want a finish that is in the wood. When a ca finish is done correctly it is in the wood. It is put on and then the excess is taken of by buffing, debonder, etc... Tru oil is wiped on then the excess is wiped off. Good handle finishes take time and that's why the naturally oily, synthetics, and stabilized woods are so popular. Shape, sand, buff. I just wish the stabilized woods were cheaper but it is what it is.
 
woodster said:
i use tung oil because i have read it seeps into the wood, whereas the ca glue and and other finishes sit on the surface. i also realized how it comes out depends on the technique. some guys soak/dip it, some rub some on with a rag and wipe it off before it gets tacky. i get a more 3d finish on curly maple if i rub it continually for 4 min with a heavily soaked piece of rag or towel. if you keep rubbing and applying more it won't get tacky. if you want to fill grain, apply lots of oil to the handle and sand it lightly with 400 or 600 grit. then wipe lightly with a cloth and let dry. the sawdust and oil will make a paste that will fill grain and harden. it comes out glossier and shinier if the first coat is totally dry before applying the second coat. if the first coat is not totally dry it comes out more of a matte finish. i make sure its dry by walking up to the knife and sniffing it without picking it up. if i smell the oil, its not dry. usually takes 2 days. i use steel wool between coats.
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Good idea with the sniff test. That's a great way to tell if it's dry between coats. I do this with Waterlox, which is basically tung oil with some additives. I haven't had much luck getting it to fill the grains of the wood tho. I'll try the 400 grit slurry.
 
that should work well,even on porous or semi-porous wood. you can always just touch it too, should not hurt an oil finish. if you leave a fingerprint rub out or add a few drops of finish and rub out. it really is kinda fool-proof. beautiful as well.
 
"Tru oil is wiped on then the excess is wiped off". Not necessarily "Tru". Out of bottle it is too thick. Cut it with mineral spirits and it soaks right in. Keep doing that till it doesn't soak in any longer. May take a few days, depending on how thirsty wood is, how humid, etc etc. I like it because it is a part of the wood when done right....NOT a layer, or bunch of layers, on top of the wood.
 
grumpy_grinder said:
would you be able to use tung oil then do the crazy glue finish last I wonder?
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My experience as a wood-turner who uses a lot of CA finishes is that any oil be it in the wood or from something applied to fill pores is very likely to cause a lifting of the CA over time.
 
danish oil has a tendency to build up in micron sized layers(a small exaggeration,but you get the point). you probably can't reach or have time for that style of finish to build up to a noticeable point-as opposed to lacquer, urethane,varnish or poly-urethane. all the oils migrate on and into the wood until you reach the saturation point. that's when it won't accept anymore finish even after drying 24 to 48 hours. ca finishes excel for glossiness(wet-look), but i gotta believe something else would(wood?) be more durable over time and given the use/abuse most handles receive. my three cents worth.
 
For what it's worth, you can get CA (super glue) on Amazon by the gallon. You'd just have to pour it into a large mouth jar or something to dip it. Be sure to get the water thin kind. I imagine the fumes would be unbearable though....


-Adam
 
NCJohn said:
My experience as a wood-turner who uses a lot of CA finishes is that any oil be it in the wood or from something applied to fill pores is very likely to cause a lifting of the CA over time.
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How have you found is the easiest way to get an even coat of CA?
 
Adam Reese said:
For what it's worth, you can get CA (super glue) on Amazon by the gallon. You'd just have to pour it into a large mouth jar or something to dip it. Be sure to get the water thin kind. I imagine the fumes would be unbearable though....


-Adam
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Adam, my concern with that would be that the glue would set (or partially set) inside the jar with repeated exposure to outside air when dipping. Have you tried this? Any thoughts?
 
if you're turning you can finish on the lathe,turning it manually or at it's lowest speed. the latter may result in drops on your lathe bed so it's best to have it covered. on the plus side it dries even faster that way, as long as you have a light touch and don't get too much on at once. mostly pen turners use it for the glossy effect or on other smaller type turnings-little bowls,x-mas ornaments, etc. fwiw i think you are probably correct about repeated air exposure causing hardening. moastly it's applied from small bottles via a rag.
 
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