Favorite waxes for hand buffing wood handles?

M

milkbaby

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I did the custom google search without much luck. I'm usually using Watco Tung Oil Finish (and have Tru Oil, Watco Teak Oil Finish too) for wood handles. I'm using SC Johnson's paste wax and buffing it by hand after letting the last oiling set a couple days to a week. AreAre th any pros and cons to using other waxes? I found Trewax and Brewax locally.

Everything I read seems to say most paste waxes are very similar. I've started letting the Johnson's paste wax set up for an hour or more before buffing by hand and then repeating twice more each 48 hours or so hoping it outgasses totally setting up hard but not sure if this is the best approach.
 
I like Briwax on most woods and Walnut oil on others.
Look for a paste wax with a high percentage of Carnuba wax. The walnut oil is what some people use on butcher blocks and cutting boards. I usually put on three coats letting it sink in and dry before applying another coat. I use mostly stabilized woods so this doesn't spply to them.
Briwax is thinned with some nasty chemicals so use it in a WELL VENTILATED space, and wear Nitrile gloves.
Jim
 
DAMNENG said:
I like Briwax on most woods and Walnut oil on others.
Look for a paste wax with a high percentage of Carnuba wax. The walnut oil is what some people use on butcher blocks and cutting boards. I usually put on three coats letting it sink in and dry before applying another coat. I use mostly stabilized woods so this doesn't spply to them.
Briwax is thinned with some nasty chemicals so use it in a WELL VENTILATED space, and wear Nitrile gloves.
Jim
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I just finished doing a bit of research on waxes a couple weeks ago and found (and purchased) a product that is supposed to be a good alternative/replacement to Briwax. It's called, "Flag Classic Wax" (clear) and is made by Lustersheen. I'll just copy and paste some of product info below:


" Much like the premier polish Briwax, a blend of natural carnauba and beeswax, Classic Wax is made by one of Europe's premier makers of fine furniture waxes. Developed for Lustersheen, to be above the best."

"DESTINED TO BECOME THE WAX OF CHOICE IN AMERICA'S HOMES!

Classic Wax is an environmentally friendly wax polish derived from years of experience producing quality wood finishing products for the Pine furniture trade.
Founded in 1939 in Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, England, FLAG Paints & Finishes is the manufacturer of high quality, time-tested finishes.

Classic Wax is toluene-free, safe and easy to use, giving an excellent shine. It is specially formulated to achieve a professional finish to wood with a minimum amount of effort.

LUSTERSHEEN responds to user concerns!
Some paste waxes on the market today use solvents like toluene and xylene as the base.

Briwax(1) in both the Original and TF formulas use these very hot, toxic distillates.

Since the 1990's, this chemical group has received added scrutiny from regulatory agencies resulting in extra care notices and advisories when used. FLAG paints has answered the call and developed a toluene & xylene free formula using the finest wax blends. Except for a little extra drying time, the result is outstanding! NO PATINA LOSS...the trademark of quality paste waxes."


Here is a link to their site if your interested in reading more about it: http://www.lustersheen.com/classic_wax_toluene_free_toluene_safe_text.htm


I actually first found out about it from USA Knifemaker where Tracy (the owner) notes that he uses it on every knife on the handle, blade and sheath. They were out of stock, so I searched and found a seller on ebay.

I've never tried Briwax, so I can't really say much about it. I also haven't really had a good chance yet to use the Flag Classic Wax I just got on any projects, although I did just use it to wax a couple of wood handle I made for files and it really made a difference by increasing the luster in the wood.

I was using Renaissance wax, but after some reading I wanted something that could stand up a bit better to actual use.

Again though, my knowledge on the subject comes mainly from reading as I don;t have that much experience in how that hold up over time etc... yet ;)

Here is a link to the recent thread where other waxes are discussed as well: https://www.bladeforums.com/posts/17896207/



~Paul
My Youtube Channel
... (It's been a few years since my last upload)
 
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I've been using Mother's Carnuba car wax for years on knife handles and it has worked very well for me. Most of the time I'm using a buffer to remove the glazed wax but on lighter woods like olive etc I buff by hand. One advantage of the carwax is availability. Always see in these threads that somebody is out of something and I can't get it. Mother's is available at car parts stores, grocery stores, hardware stores heck ya probably already have some somewhere in a cupboard. Just for info I have tried other brands of carwax and don't like em as much, Mother's it is for me.

Whole box done with Mother's.

NHpoehI.jpg


I use it on all handle materials and on the entire knife.

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We do a lot of shows. Most of our shows are cowboy deals, ranch ropings, rodeos or similar. Very seldom have we ever done a show inside. The Mothers provides the protection needed from the rough handling that your knives might receive at a show plus the added thing we deal with at show when you are set up on dirt, gravel even grass and that is dust, lots of dust.

Sometimes we're competing too. Here I'm the one on the big red horse kicking up the dust.

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Set up on dirt.

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On gravel, (I had to mind the store the wife was competing this time). This pic was towards the morning of day three of a three day show.

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Point is the carwax provides excellent protection in real life conditions. At a show I just blow em off with a can of air and wipe em down with an old tshirt and they are ready for the next day. No scratches, no rust spots, no tarnishing. The knives look brand-new and ready to sell.
 
I just use pure carnauba as a top coat on most everything. It is hard and sticks around for a while. It also polishes well. Can't see any rason to go with a paste wax unless you really don't want to use a buffing wheel. Depends a lot on what wood I am finishing if I put any finish on beneath the wax, but I tend to use a penetrating, hard curing finish beneath the wax if I am using a softer wood. For the hardest of woods, I often use nothing.

Penetrating oils I generally use for color only, as they provide little protection. And most of the stuff I use that I dont think needs any extra protection won't take much/any oil anyway.
 
Lots of reasons for paste wax, ease of use, just wipe on with a cotton ball, local availability, inexpensive, works real well and it cleans buffing gunk off great too and can be buffed off by hand if need be.
 
Horsewright said:
I've been using Mother's Carnuba car wax for years on knife handles and it has worked very well for me. Most of the time I'm using a buffer to remove the glazed wax but on lighter woods like olive etc I buff by hand. One advantage of the carwax is availability. Always see in these threads that somebody is out of something and I can't get it. Mother's is available at car parts stores, grocery stores, hardware stores heck ya probably already have some somewhere in a cupboard. Just for info I have tried other brands of carwax and don't like em as much, Mother's it is for me.

Whole box done with Mother's.

NHpoehI.jpg


I use it on all handle materials and on the entire knife.

7OZywLH.jpg


We do a lot of shows. Most of our shows are cowboy deals, ranch ropings, rodeos or similar. Very seldom have we ever done a show inside. The Mothers provides the protection needed from the rough handling that your knives might receive at a show plus the added thing we deal with at show when you are set up on dirt, gravel even grass and that is dust, lots of dust.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info and pics, that is pretty amazing how nice they look with the amount of dust that must get on them outside! I'd read car wax works good, and that makes sense considering the amount of grit, sun, and moisture that a car wax has to protect against.

Which Mothers car wax do you use? I found online that there's Mothers Brazilian Carnauba Cleaner wax but also Mothers Pure Brazilian Carnauba Wax. The cleaner wax I can find locally but it seems the other one I couldn't find easily.
 
If you don't have a real buffer what do you use. I should get some soft wheels for my 5" Matabo. So far I have been using a grey scotchbrite that has some wear with compound but it only really works on ultra hard wood.
 
I've used scotchbrite belts on many, many blades. I've never used one on a handle. I would handsand to a whatever grit is appropriate for that wood and then wax and buff with an old tshirt or cotton ball or something of that nature.
 
Horsewright said:
I've used scotchbrite belts on many, many blades. I've never used one on a handle. I would handsand to a whatever grit is appropriate for that wood and then wax and buff with an old tshirt or cotton ball or something of that nature.
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On the knives that you do I doubt there is a reason to. On something quick and dirty with limited equipment the results are better than you would think. This is after a 600 grit belt finish . There seems to be enough abrasive left it the scotchbrite to take out the 600 grit scratches but doesn't seem to remove much. I thought the Micarta was canvas but maybe I had a extra slab of linen. I don't think I had waxed the handles at this point. The shine was definitely there from the buffing though.
 
I'll have to agree they look better than I would of thought.
 
Can't remember if it was on here or another forum. One of the big makers swears by Bowling alley wax. Very durable and does not discolor.
 
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polishing talk aside, that handle looks very good. In what order are you gluing and cutting the handle pieces? first glue the 3 diagonally cut pieces and then cut them to slabs or vice versa?
 
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