Care of Natural Handle Materials

[Lenny]

Forgive me if this has already been asked, but, what's the best thing to apply to bone/stag handles to maintain the color and sheen? Washing and use definitely takes its toll on these materials.
Thanks in advance,
Lenny

 

[lifter4Him]

Why would you want to wash stag or bone?
I have a pretty fair stag collection and I find the thing that really makes it look great is Rennassaince wax. You need to use a loose soft rag to apply and to buff to make sure it gets in and also out of all the grooves. The more you buff it, the better it looks.
For maintenance and moisture replacement to prevent cracks, use mineral oil about twice a year. And if you store a knife in a zippered pouch, make sure the zipper is open a little because natural materials need to breath.

Dave

 

[Lenny]

Thanks Dave.
I have one bone handled trapper that I use every day, a Mooremaker.
It's too nice to let sit in a draw. So it occasionally gets dirty and I have to give it a light rinse.
Lenny