Ironwood- HELP

chuckM

chuckM

Joined
Feb 16, 2000
Messages
31
Well it seems that ironwood is too dense to stabilize but still prone to the elements- I made a very nice D-2 blade for a local outfitter and fitted it with some very pretty ironwood handles. The wood had some extremely nice chatoyance. The blade has stood up to 15 elk and horse camp life and pleased it's owner with it's performance, but.... the ironwood has dried out from the blood and ect. and now looks- well, bad enough for the owner to ask if i could make it look better- any cure? I have normally used micarta on heavy use blades, and stabilized wood on most hunters, elk antler on a few others but this is part of my first group of blades with ironwood, so there are others out there, altho none likely to see as hard of use, but still i am very concerned, i have always advised purchasers that a high quality wax would protect, and keep any of these materials looking good- does ironwood require more care? I have not even seen the knife yet and i am upset - i have had only good feedback, and i want to provide my customers with a quality tool that they can count on- for a long time. any input?
 
It will make the wood darker, but give it as many coats of Teak Oil as it will absorb without building up a sticky coating on the outside. I sand with wet or dry paper above 1000 grit- usually 1500 between each coat.

Final finish with Carnuba wax. Burn it in with the buffer.

When it starts to get dull have him add a little furniture or paste car wax.
 
I'd clean with some sort of oil... mineral, linseed, whale... whatever. Then wax. A user knife need not be ugly, but the customer has to also assume some responsibilty. Oil cures all. Ironwood has natural oils and waxes (resins)in it.
 
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