Finishing stabilized wood

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Lo/Rez

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Feb 10, 2013
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I'll be sanding some stabilized cream maple burl handles tomorrow and was wondering how to finish them as I have never worked with stabilized wood before. Thanks in advance.
 
Stabilized wood is generally pretty hard stuff and behaves sort of like a composite material in the sense that you can really sand to high grits and buff for a high shine finish. Anything below that is up to you if you want more of a matte finish.
 
You could just sand and then buff. Or you can make it look even better.
Sand to 600 grit minimum. 1000+ preferred.
A few light applications of Danish Oil.
Hand buff with soft cloth.
For more detailed finishing info here is a link.
 
Who stabilized the wood?

There is a big difference in wood stabilized in a pickle jar with Min Wax and professional stabilization by K&G.

Chuck
 
Alpha Knife Supply said:
Who stabilized the wood?

There is a big difference in wood stabilized in a pickle jar with Min Wax and professional stabilization by K&G.

Chuck
Click to expand...

Thanks for the replys. I bought it at USA Knifemaker so I couldn't even begin to guess who stabilized it.
 
USA Knifemakers supply wood will be properly stabilized.

Sand to as fine a finish as possible.....at least 1000 grit. Wipe down regularly to get sanding swarf off and remove any previous grit. Change the paper often.
Buff to make it shine. Even buffing by hand with a clean soft cloth will make it shine. Power buffing is a skill in itself, and not for a new maker.

The 3M polishing paper packs are superb for handle work on stabilized wood. They come with color coded sheets of green, grey, blue, pink, mint, white. These correspond to 400 grit through 8000. Mark an "X" ( or the grit grade) with a marker pen on the back of each sheet when first removed from the package, as the finer grits are hard to tell the front from the back when used a bit. These papers can be used and used until they fall apart. Spend a little time on each grit and the last one will leave a glass like shine.
Most knife suppliers carry them now, as do jewelers suppliers.
 
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