Finishing Desert Ironwood

C

cbbaum

Joined
Jun 23, 2000
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6
I just finished a filet knife with stabilized Desert Ironwood handles. What's the best way to finish the wood? I want it to be as water resistant as possible yet shine well.
 
Pick up the latest issue of Blade magizine (Sept,2000) There is a good article on using Super Glue starting on page 42.

Rick
 
Stablized desert ironwood??? Can that stuff be stablized? I use it a lot and it is the hardest wood I know of. I bought a stump of it in Mexico and had it cut into slabs. It eats up saw blades.

Can you tell me if the stablizing fluid really penetrated the wood?

If it is really stablized, it should be about as waterproof as it can get.
 
I bought it at Texas Knife Makers in Houston and that's what it was sold as. I haven't finshed it yet but I'll let you know how it comes out.
Chuck
Originally posted by cjensema:
Stablized desert ironwood??? Can that stuff be stablized? I use it a lot and it is the hardest wood I know of. I bought a stump of it in Mexico and had it cut into slabs. It eats up saw blades.

Can you tell me if the stablizing fluid really penetrated the wood?

If it is really stablized, it should be about as waterproof as it can get.
Click to expand...

 
I'm with cjensema. Desert Ironwood gives me fits! Saw blades, belts, bits, nothing is safe. I'll be interested to hear how it works out.
 
Dave Ellis, ABS, M.S. here- I use lot's of Desert Ironwood. Not sure how well it would stabilize as it is really dense. I recommend hand finishing to 400 or 600 grit, than go over well with 0000 Steel Wool (the finest). I than use Watco Danish oil per the instructions, nice finish, long lasting. Ironwood is fairly water resistant anyway as it has such a tight grain. hope this helps,
Dave Ellis, ABS,M.S. http://www.mastersmith.com

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One question I have. Are you sure it wasn't stabilized mesquite??? They have a bunch of that stuff....

I haven't seen where they have stabilized desert ironwood but I have never asked for it either.

Craig
 
Craig,
I don't think so. It doesn't have that "red" look to it that mesquite does. (I grew up in So. Texas). Guess maybe it could have been mislabeled though. No big deal, the knife came out great.
 
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