How do I preserve and protect stag handle?

[ralph.merlino]

A number of years ago a mastersmith who had just made me a ivory handle knife said to use Tung Oil on ivory and stag. Wipe it on, let it dry then wipe it down. I have been doing it for years and I have had no problems with the stag or ivory.

 

[Walking Man]

I bought the Randall carving set about 4 years ago, and the handles had shrunk a little bit, leaving a space between the handle and guard (it doesn't really have a guard, but you know what I mean). I wiped it down with mineral oil and it expanded back faster than I would have believed. I SWEAR! It was like magic, and it kind of freaked me out, I had to stare at the handle for about 5 minutes to make sure someone didn't pull the old switcharoo on me, but it really worked. I don't particularly like stag, but I'm pretty sure it's recommended that you wipe them down with mineral oil every 2 years or so.

 

[Sport]

I have a dozen stag handled knives.
All of them get the mineral oil soak at
least once a year. So do my wooden handled
kitchen knives.

 

[cockroachfarm]

I immerse the stag handles of my knives in mineral oil and soak for 24 hrs. I do this twice a year. I have not noticed any darkening of the stag at all, though it has also been suggested to me that this is a possibility. I have had really good results with mortised stag scales and, of course, carvers. I have seen shrinkage on full tang or frame handle knives and as a result I tend to avoid these all together.

Roger

Roger, do you just slather the handles with liberal amounts of mineral oil or do you actually stand the knife, handle down, in a jar filled with mineral oil? Is 24 hours long enough? I have a couple of knives I'd like to try this on.

 

[RogerP]

Hey Holger,

Yeah, I use an old plastic ice-cream tub 3/4 or so filled with mineral oil. That's enough to completely immerse a bowie handle to just past the hilt. I leave it immersed for 24hrs. twice per year. I have not noticed any darkening. Works great for mammoth and walrus ivories as well.

Roger

 

[Naphtali]

RogerP:

How long will the mineral oil be useful when kept in a plastic container?

What is the way to store the container with oil when not using it?
***
Progress report on Brusletto-Morseth blades. Contour and configuration is nearly identical with the Harry Morseth general purpose knife I own. This is probably the best single Morseth shape

Problems: Brusletto "helped" buyers by putting a gross edge on blades. What they did is unacceptable. Fortunately, they left too much mass on blades. So "problem" is easily solved by using either a very slow grinding wheel (Lehman Country Store) or a series of diamond sharpening stones-with-fixture.

 

[RogerP]

Well, since the mineral oil came in a plastic bottle when purchased, I assume that plastic is a serviceable material for a container whatever the shape. I just put the lid back on the tub and put it someplace it won't spill. I could decant the oil back into its original container (something like a small Listerine bottle), but this is potentially quite messy.

I am not really sure if there is a defined shelf life to the oil. The stuff in my tub has not visibly degraded in any way. Hope this helps.

Roger

 

[cockroachfarm]

Thanks, Roger. I'm going to try this. Did you just buy a few bottles of oil at a place like Shopper's, or can you buy it in bulk somewhere?

Off topic, perhaps, but I wonder if this treatment would also work with wood handled knives? I have quite a few ( ) where the handles have shrunk considerably (for example, my Rob Brown Boot Knife )

 

[knifeman65]

Thanks, Roger. I'm going to try this. Did you just buy a few bottles of oil at a place like Shopper's, or can you buy it in bulk somewhere?

Off topic, perhaps, but I wonder if this treatment would also work with wood handled knives? I have quite a few ( ) where the handles have shrunk considerably (for example, my Rob Brown Boot Knife )

Personally, I just buy my mineral oil at my local drugstore (food grade-laxative type). It works great, and does a wonderful job on wood as well. I use it on all my stag, bone, and wood handled knives. IMHO, after the initial good soak, I feel it is only necessary to wipe the handles down with a mineral oil SATURATED soft cotton cloth say once or twice a year (wiping off all the excess). This is my opinnion based on my environment, but humidity, etc..., will dictate how often you do this. Certainly always using a thorough soak wouldn't hurt in any way.

 

[RogerP]

Thanks, Roger. I'm going to try this. Did you just buy a few bottles of oil at a place like Shopper's, or can you buy it in bulk somewhere?

Off topic, perhaps, but I wonder if this treatment would also work with wood handled knives? I have quite a few ( ) where the handles have shrunk considerably (for example, my Rob Brown Boot Knife )

Hi Holger,

Yes, I got mine from the corner drug store. Two of their large bottles did it for me. Immersion, as opposed to wiping down, was recommended to me by Fisk. I'm not saying that a wipe-down won't work, but I have only done it the dunking way.

I don't know why, but every Rob Brown knife I have owned - and those that Murray has owned has seen MAJOR shrinkage. No criticism of Rob - his workmanship is flawless - I just think there must be a major difference in relative humidity between wherever he is at in S.A., and up here in Southwest Ontario. I would be very careful of my handle material choice on future Brown knives. Those thin, finely tapered tangs become unpleasantly sharp when exposed.

Roger

 

[cockroachfarm]

Who's this Fisk guy? Does he know anything about knives?

Yes, the Rob Brown scales have definitely shrunk due to the great difference in environmental conditions between where Rob lives and where we live. No way I could blame the maker, any maker, for that. I also have a Fujisaka folder with gorgeous mammoth ivory scales that have shrunk enough to see daylight between them and the bolsters!

 

[DocHamm]

cognitivefun:

Ballistol?? You mean the cleaner-lubricant for black powder shooters?

AFAIK?? What does this mean?

I know this thread is old but the information is still useful.

2. AFAIK means 'As Far As I Know'. (Google is your friend!)

1. Yes, the same Ballistol. It is not just for guns.

"Ballistol was invented in 1904 in response to a German Army requirement. it was engineered to be usable on all metals, leather and wood and as a wound disinfectant for the treatment of minor cuts and infections. After testing it for one year Ballistol was type classified and fielded by the Wahrmacht and remained in use until 1945. In today’s German Army, the Bundeswehr, Ballistol is used by several Special Forces units, such as the "Kampfschwimmer", a unit similar to the Navy Seals. The name ‘Ballistol’ is a Greco-Latinism. It means ‘Ballistic Oil’...

In addition to being a uniquely capable gun oil, Ballistol can be used for many other purposes. To name a few as an octane booster and top engine oil in combustion engines; for the winterization of motors; at a polish for car paint when added to rinsing water or to beautify faded gel coats of old fiberglass boats. Ballistol maintains and cleans plastic dash boards and vinyl seat covers. It eliminates oil and rubber stains In carpets. Due to its low electric conductivity it can be safely used In electrical equipment."

[http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread.php?38017-Ballistol-Germany-s-gun-oil-and-wound-disinfectant]​

I primarily commented because I find Ballistol and Renaissance Wax useful for many things, especially knife care. I have used both in various restoration projects with great success. I appreciate it being biodegradable, non-toxic and non-carcinogenic. While I would use Ballistol to clean stag/antler/horn, I would use Renaissance Wax for preservation. RenWax is used in restoration and preservation in museums all over the world.

Save this thread for people new to knife care.

 

[red mag]

Please consider, that Ballistol was developed as a gun oil/cleaner.
It dissolves copper and therefore brass.
This can lead to unwanted results at i.e. brass guards.
hope this helps

 

[HammondC3NordD5]

Rennaissance wax,car wax/polish or mineral oil,although,it was pointed out to me that mineral oil may darken the stag.

Renaissance wax gives a great luster,enriches the color on my stag knives and helps preserve,great on metal as long as it is clean.

 

[SharpByCoop]

Old thread, I know. However, now that I've reread it...

From a SELFISH standpoint, I HATE renwax. So gummy and hard to remove. I guess it's good then, but when a knife comes to me with this !@#$ on it it takes alchohol to remove it.

I also dislike SMELLY Ballistol. RJ Martin sent me a can, and I've tried. if you work on cars, it's the equivalent of getting differential lube vs. oil on your hands. Ugghh.

I've used a furniture oil for years. I'm going to get some mineral oil....

 

[surfer]

I only have very good experience with stag handles. When clients asks for handle materials and I tell them the pros and cons of each (mammoth can split, musk can warp..) I normally recommend sambar stag as one of the most rugged natual materials.
I normally soak the handle, once the knife is finished, in linseedoil to reveal the depth and colours. Some oil from time to time won't hurt, bit I think it's actually not necessary.

Regards
Nicolas

 

[Ron Sabbagh]

You guys have summed it up pretty well.

I asked this question years ago. I’ll share my two best responses:

1. “Just use the damn knife” - Bob Loveless

Loveless pointed out that if you use the knife as intended, the natural oils from your hands and game, along with blood, will keep your stag handles perfect. If you think about it, the natural environment of stag is blood & oils. So this makes sense. Leave it to Bob to be short, sweet and 100% on target.

2. “Immerse in mineral oil (or neutral, non vegetable oil) for 24 hours every year.” - Jerry Fisk

Jerry pointed out that waxes only penetrate the surface. You need an oil to penetrate and “treat” the whole stag slab. He recommended food grade mineral oil and that’s what I use. Even on my traditional folders, as the steel & pivot can benefit from a mineral oil bath every year. After immersion in mineral oil for 24 hours the stag will seem darker but that’s because it is “renewed”. Over the next few weeks it will assume it’s natural color again. In other words, it won’t dye the stag.

Been using this technique for 20 years with no regrets.

 

[dcpritch]

Bringing this thread to the fore just because it’s that time of year when I take extra time attending to knife care. I’ve been doing the mineral oil soak for a few years, once a year at the first of each year. I use “white” food grade mineral oil that I bought on Amazon a while back - its cheap! - and soak bone, stag, mammoth and ivory handled knives for 24 hours. Then I drain them onto cardboard for a day (the cardboard wicks all surface oil) then I wipe clean with an old white T-shirt and let the knives sit for a few days to dry. Below are pics of some folding knives in progress. I tilt the pan a bit so the oil gathers at one end, starting with the biggest handled knives and working my way down in size, doing as many in each batch as the mineral oil will cover. I don’t soak or treat wood handled knives or anything with Micarta, G10 or other synthetics.

Soaking in mineral oil


Out of the oil, draining onto cardboard


Wiped with a T-shirt and air drying


This process has worked well for me over quite a few years. I live in Northern Minnesota where we have serious seasonal extremes in temperature and humidity and I’ve not had any problems with handles on my knives, which I attribute to this process as much as to the care I take in their use and storage.

 

[brownshoe]

Mineral oil does not evaporate or dry. It soaks in. The owner of the American Military Edged Weaponry Museum uses Butcher's bowling lane wax. His large collection is in good shape when I was last there..

 

[dcpritch]

Mineral oil does not evaporate or dry. It soaks in. The owner of the American Military Edged Weaponry Museum uses Butcher's bowling lane wax. His large collection is in good shape when I was last there..

Absolutely correct, I misspoke above when I mentioned laying them out to dry, really what happens is after wiping well, the leftover mineral oil continues to absorb - slowly - and after a day or two no longer looks or feels slick. Then I put the knives away.

I’m not saying this is the only way to maintain natural covers. When I got my first Jerry Fisk knife he told me this is what he does, and I’ve been following this process ever since.