Finishing wood?

sph3ric pyramid

sph3ric pyramid

Joined
Jul 24, 2002
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What would be the best way to finish an unstabilized hardwood? I'm assuming that if left as-is, it will be destroyed by moisture and stuff in short order.

Also, how much work is needed to bring out the "luster" in stabilized wood?

I've been practicing on some scrap wood, but haven't yet finished anything completely, taking me long enough to build test blades and such, 'specially working with files.
 
Big subject, bro. Let me tackle the 'unstabilized' question. I'd say that there are woods like ironwood, snakewood, and ebony and others that need no stabilization and only require the refinement of going up through the grits until you get the desired finish. perhaps a light coat of wax and some hand buffing at the end.

Then you have the more porous woods, which would require filling and so on. I stabilize these, myself. I made some nice scales out of mahogany once by simply shaping them to a nearly-finshed state, then soaking in as much CA glue as they would take. Then I final-sanded and polished them and they looked really nice.

There are as many different ways to treat wood for knives as there are knives. Experiment!
 
Yeah, I read a whole bunch, thought my head was going to explode so I thought someone might be able to give me some more concise advice. I read about the CA finish, but didn't know if that would apply to the more porous woods. Seems simplest, I'll have to try it out, thanks.
 
Wood has been used for knife handles for thousands uf years. Stabilizing has been around for less than 20.

Most woods suitable for tool handles will do quite well without stabilizing. Just sand to aprox 600 grit and use something like Watco Danish oil, as per instructions. You can buff after if you wish.

Stabilizing gives you the opportunity to use woods for handles that are beautiful, but too soft otherwise.
On hard woods, it just makes a good thing better, such as ease of finishing etc.
It's not a necessity.
 
I've used a trick I remember from some video or another. I soak the handles in boiled linseed oil. I've been using black walnut (because I have a bunch), finishing the handle then put it into a baggy, add enough linseed oil to cover, then wait a while. While a week would be good I usually get impatient and pull it out after 2 or 3 days. Wipe it off and allow to dry overnignt. If everything else is right, meaning no final adjustments to the size or shape, I use 0000 steel wool dipped in the linseed oil to polish.

While this sounds crude I've been using, and mistreating, a couple in my kitchen for a couple of years without problems. The ones that I sold to restaurants are still going strong after over a year.

What ever works, Lynn
 
Mike Hull-
It sure is nice to see that someone else feels the same way about stabilizing as I do. I've mentioned the same attitude elsewhere at times and have had some folks go ballistic that the use of anything but stabilized wood would even be considered.

Personally I don't like the look of most stabilized wood and if you pick and choose the proper hardwoods than it as you said unnecessary - but with the caveat that all wood should be sealed with some kind of proper finish (Danish or Tung Oil being my favorite).

One consideration I don't often see mentioned is whether the grip is a stick tang or slabs. Slabs present their edges in a way that will allow moisture absorbtion that can create a set of problems from shrinkage or expansion (sharp edges along the tang for instance) that a stick tang will just shrug off.

Lynn - many years ago a friend of mine who was a muzzleloading rifle builder did an experiment with various oils. He cut 1" squares of REALLY dense hard rock maple and soaked them for two weeks in 4 commonly used gunstock oils (sealed glass jars): Pure Tung, Danish, Boiled Linseed, and Tru-Oil. Tung Oil completely saturated, Danish (which contains tung) penetrated about 3/4, the linseed about 1/2, and the Tru-oil about 1/4. Anyway take it for what it's worth.
 
Tung makes a good sealer and when mixed with sanding dusts makes for a good filler. Tung will give a low luster but a higher sheen can be achieved by applying another finish over the final cured coats of Tung oil. To use Tung as a sealer thin it with mineral spirits. Thinner for the first coat and about 1 to 1 for final sealer coats.

RL
 
So I would treat the wood before making the scales? Or should I shape the scales, then treat them? How does treating the wood affect workability, and getting a good adhesive bond with the tang (although, I will be using pins)?

I'll definitely try the Tung Oil, if I can find any, and if there's any in Japan at all. About the CA finish, should I use it for a final finish, or can I use it as a sealer as well?

Thanks for the great info, guys.

Edit: Just went to look up some stuff on tung oil, looks like that might be my best bet for a quick easy sealant.
 
Tung oil should be available in your neck of the woods. The Chinese used it to seal their wood sailing vessels and I believe it is derived from the Tung tree or its nuts.

For knife scale wood I fashion and affix to the tang before sealing. If I were not to use an epoxy on the part of scale that contacts tang I would seal that portion of the wood before attaching to tang. I seal the wood after the handle is affixed and totally fashioned. A few wet sanding seasions will fill the grain but this is very difficult because of bolsters or guards and such that will become scared by that. Another way is to wet sand a seperate piece of wood and transfer that dust laiden oil to the scales. You must work rather fast and be sure to dilute the oil with mineral spirts before starting. It becomes tacky quickly. Practice will teach you.

For sealing be patient with curing times. Allow 24 hours between coats and cut the Tung 3 to 1 for the first sealer coat. Paint it on heavy and let the wood drink all it wants.

Sealing in this manner will not protect you as well as 'stabilized'. The scales will still swell some if allowed to soak in water. It will however help protect the wood from normal use in varying weather.

Click on the rifle picture below. I cover this for use on rifle stocks. Its wood too.

RL
 
When you look for Tung oil be sure to look for "pure." Most tung oil has polimers in it for faster hardening.

Rlinger, I never tried thinning tung. Mineral spirits?

Lynn
 
In WWII the japanese used tung oil to finish their rifles. When our troops handled captured rifles they found that many soldiers had allergic reactions to the oil.
 
I'll agree with others here, I'm a big fan of just an oil finish, or things along those lines, rather than stabilizing everyhting.
 
what about the wood hardener preserver stuff from minwax? the stuff for the "salad bowl" finish that you just work in with a paper towel untill it won't suck anymore in?
 
search the forum, lots of people are using the stuff and really like it, generally use a vaccuum to help it absorb deeper
sorry, can't remember any specific threads off top of my head
 
For Tung I like Waterlox. A search on the web or my site will reveal thier web site. I have used Hommer Formsby's and like it also. The Formsby's (I make no claim for spelling correctly) will cure more quickly. Waterlox cures at a slow rate by comparison but if you want excellent Tung go Waterlox and expect to wait 48 hours between coats. Do not expect to find Waterlox locally but it may be.

Regardless of oil finish, do not subject to direct sunlight or abnormal high artificial curing temperature. Allow oils to cure at ambient room temperature with normal ventalation. Patience is the game with finishes.

RL
 
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