Few questions bout handles

B

BladefulArt

Joined
Mar 29, 2008
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I didn't find this information anywhere else (unless I overlooked it), but I need to know what buffing wheels and compounds to use with the following:

Linen and Micarta handles
Bloodwood handles
Ebony handles


Thats bout the only handles I'm considering using for now, more expensive materials will come later on.

Also, with them 2 woods, would gloss sealer work And should the sealer be applied after buffing or before?

I already got the info I wanted about silver wire inlay, but how are fluted handles made? I heard its done with files but have no idea how.

I also noticed that not many people uses bloodwood, does the red color make it undesireable or what?



Guess I ask one more thing, is mother of pearl made from shells or what and isnt it somewhat brittle?
 
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I use a loose cotton wheel (8") with green compound to buff linen micarta. I will sand to 320 before buffing.

Wood I think you are better off doing more sanding, sand to 1000 - 1500 grit and then oil finish. Buffing puts compound into the pours and does not turn out well. The problem with gloss sealer is they are on the surface and may melt in your hand with heavy use. I prefer multiple coats of teak oil or boiled linseed oil. sand to 1500 apply oil, sand again, oil, buff with ooo steel wool, more oil. buff with cotton cloth.

You may want to set your orange wood in the sun and see how long the color will last. Some woods loose their color pretty easy and then the handle wont look good. Finish as above then set one piece in the sun and the other somewhere in the shop and see if the color will last.
 
Alright, thanks.

So, I've been going about it wrong with linen micarta from the start, sanded my last one to 2000 grit, since I didnt have a buffer then.

And since you meantioned some woods lose their color, I might get another instead of the bloodwood.
 
Nothing wrong with sanding for a finish, buffing micarta makes it a little too smooth in my opinion. I am going to try to buff and then sand to 600 -800 to see if it looks good and gives a little more wet grip. Many makers on the forum seem to be moving away from buffing. I buff very little any more, I have a big Balor for 2-3 months now and have not put any compound on yet still use the smaller a bit.
 
Regarding bloodwood. I love the stuff, bought a couple big boards off eBay a few years ago. For what it's worth, I have not noticed loss of color. Normally I seal wood like this with superglue, sand, seal, sand and buff. I keep adding superglue and sanding until all the pores are filled and the surface is smooth. This will buff to a high gloss very well if that's what you're looking for. Superglue works well as a sealer/filler for ebony too.

Several years ago I put some pink ivory grips on my wife's derringer and sealed those with superglue too. They haven't lost any color either, though the gun rarely sees the light of day. :(
 
Alright, thanks for the post. Now all I need (or want) to know is exactly what is mother of pearl or abalone, or they made from shell or what?

Edit: Forget that question, already found the answer.
 
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