Ironwood color

Tim the Wizard

Tim the Wizard

Street Samurai
Joined
Apr 21, 2012
Messages
3,787
Two questions for the crowd.

If ironwood has darkened with age and use, will sanding it bring back the original color?

Will shellac or a polymer coat prevent further darkening?

Thanks
 
It should clean up no issues also any clear protective coat will prevent darkening [emoji3]
 
Thanks. Two more questions.

What grit would you start at if there is no damage, only darkening?

Do you tape the pins or spine to protect the steel?

I appreciate your wisdom.
 
i would start with 400grit and finish it off with gray scotchbrite & finish w/ white scotchbrite.
thats how we do it here
makes sure you use a leather backer for the sandpaper like in the pic below. it will keep the pins from becoming "proud".
8B6D59B3-19CD-4AAA-AE0D-3D006301B709_zps1iwiqa2l.png
 
Thanks. I have a 3M half face mask with organic vapor filters. Really need to pick up a new bench vice with pads though for this kind of work!!!
 
On a finished blade you really wanna tape up the blade and use a vise with wooden jaws
 
VANCE said:
On a finished blade you really wanna tape up the blade and use a vise with wooden jaws
Click to expand...

I don't have a vice of that type, so I usually just wrap the blade and then capture it by screwing a block of 2x8 down to another piece of 2x8 that is screwed down to a work table, with the knife blade sandwiched between the two pieces of 2x8 for fine sanding.
 
Damage ? Understand that light has a great effect on wood.Most wood will darken from light natural or artificial oxydation does the same .It will penetrate into the wood. Often this makes for a better color. To slow down the chage a UV blocking finish will help.
 
TripleT said:
Two questions for the crowd.

If ironwood has darkened with age and use, will sanding it bring back the original color?

Will shellac or a polymer coat prevent further darkening?

Thanks
Click to expand...

You can sand off the oxidized wood to bring out the new color. Phillip nailed it. 400 grit and up will do. As to the finish, knives with working handles don't do well with polymer style finishes IMO. They gum up. Then you have to remove the finish to renew the color. Light is the key. Sunlight darkens the wood quickly. As Mete states, a UV finish will slow the color of the wood darkening. But then you have to deal with the finish deteriorating. No point to it IMO.
 
What I ended up doing was mixing mineral oil with baking soda and giving it a rub down.

The natural oils of the ironwood seemed to be a bit mottled.

This actually worked very well, as it made the finish more matte and the color really comes out now, but I did not sand away natural changes in the wood, and it did not make any wood dust.

I got the tip from a forum member who used baking soda and oil to repair a finish on wood that had been damaged by isopropyl alcohol.

All of the advice here is great.
 
I did not document it, my apologies.

I think it acted more on the surface oils than the wood. The effect is very pleasing and it did not scratch at all.
 
Could you post an "after" photo of the knife as it is now, after this treatment? Interesting idea.
 
I really love the richness of darker ironwood! Use = character = cool factor!
 
klags said:
Could you post an "after" photo of the knife as it is now, after this treatment? Interesting idea.
Click to expand...

I ended up starting off with the top knife in this photo, the BRT compact scout, shown here next to a Fiddleback Hiking Buddy and an Al Warren lockback (all in ironwood)

tHpag22.jpg


It isn't the best photo for comparison, since the lighting is different, but as mentioned in the original post the surface oils had developed a hazy appearance similar to a fine slurry. Cleaning it with the mineral oil and baking soda, then washing the blade and scales, then wiping it down with a cloth with very light oil cleared up the hazy effect and brought out some of the natural chatoyance of the wood (golden flecks and shimmering characteristic of premium ironwood). It didn't brighten the wood, the color change is a result of sunlight photography only.

lDD3tBS.jpg


TG30NdE.jpg


It was left with a very pleasant matte appearance of the natural wood and there is no more haziness in the light.

I have not done it on one of my Fiddlebacks yet but based on these results I would not hesitate to use baking soda mixed with mineral oil to clean up a hazy or mottled oil finish on the top surface of ironwood. I would compare it to a very fine grit polish. It did not remove wood but did even out the presentation of the surface oils. Washing with dish soap and buffing lightly with renwax might have had the same effect but I can't say for sure. Auto-detailers often use it to polish chrome and I have seen it repair water-stain and alcohol-stain marks on wood with a damaged polyurethane coating.

For good measure here is another pic of that sweet HB which has not needed the treatment.

xQ9XDJi.jpg
 
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Thanks for posting this. Good to know, I'll remember it for future reference.
 
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