KLVUK Neem Wood Update

gurkha berserka

gurkha berserka

Joined
Aug 16, 2014
Messages
1,602
Hey all, here are the promised pics of the my Neem handled KLVUK. It was a gift from Auntie and I was overwhelmed when I received it. I didn't realize how much different it would look once I hit it with 600 then 1000 then 1500 grit paper. I then wet down the handle again with BLO and did the final sand with 1500. I guess this will fill in the pours with the slurry. I think the work speaks for itself. I am not a pro woodworker but I think I did an ok job. Sorry but I need to pat myself on the back haha
Enjoy...
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Someone has posted about the beauty of this wood once it is finished with fine sandpaper. Whom ever it was thank you very much!
 
Looks awesome. I wanna try that out with my "two tone" BVCAK (kinda looks two tone. Light red brown on one sidE and dark red brown on the other side) . Only have 800 grit tho, gonna have to buy the finer stuff and hope mine turns out half as good as yours
 
Beautiful grain! Sure makes it worth a liittle extra work dont it? Nice job Gurkgha:thumbup: Keep it BLO'd up on occasion. It just gets better with age and use.
 
CubeLW said:
Looks awesome. I wanna try that out with my "two tone" BVCAK (kinda looks two tone. Light red brown on one sidE and dark red brown on the other side) . Only have 800 grit tho, gonna have to buy the finer stuff and hope mine turns out half as good as yours
Click to expand...

800 grit will take you very far and often times plenty far enough. I seldom go beyond that myself. Sand with the oil like gurkha did and it'll be plenty smooth.
 
CubeLW said:
Looks awesome. I wanna try that out with my "two tone" BVCAK (kinda looks two tone. Light red brown on one sidE and dark red brown on the other side) . Only have 800 grit tho, gonna have to buy the finer stuff and hope mine turns out half as good as yours
Click to expand...

It should really "pop" once you hit it with the fine stuff. Don't forget to get a slurry going with the BLO to fill in the pours. It feels like glass now!
 
I'll take it.......am I the first. Finally I beat you sharks and snagged me one. Hahahaaaa

Em sent to.........aaaaahhhhhhhhhh
 
Awesome job GB, the way that Neem cleans up when you know what you are doing with it is amazing. Now that so many of you have showed me how I might need to give a couple of my khuks this sort of cleaning treatment. But I am still not a fan of BLO as it adds that yellowish tint and I want the wood to stay the color it is. I think I will stick to plain mineral oil soaks once I sand it with the different grades of paper and see what that does.
 
Really are no drying agents in mineral oil though. The slurry may or may not stay in the pores after future mineral oil wipe downs or soaks.

Even pure water will darken wood. Finishing rifle stocks and such often times theres a grain raising process. Get it all sanded and then wipe it down with a wet rag. The wood will kind of fuzz up when it dries. You use new good sandpaper and sand that fuzz off and repeat the process till no more fuzz.

Wiping some water on is a good means of seeing what your gonna get when you oil the wood up.
 
Great advice Bawanna, the lack of drying agent is a definate issue. She could dilute BLO with mineral spirits to reduce the yellowing. I haven't found an issue with the yellowing but I have mainly refinished rifle stocks opposed to knife handles.
 
Yeah Bawanna is right about the mineral oil. I have soaked some handles and at least the porous woods will stay oily if you dont seal them with BLO or something else that will polymerize afterwards. I have had drastic color changes from BLO in some woods and then in others ive had almost no color change. Depends on the wood piece itself. Overall though Im willing to take the chance of a bit of yellowing with BLO because the benefits and overall results far outweigh any ill effects. Maybe ive been lucky but every piece I have treated has been an improvement.
 
I am not really concerned with it being glass smooth. I think just sanding it well then soaking it and then sanding the grain that raises up should be fine. I don't need it super smooth I just think the wood will be cleaner and show the grain a bit better is the only reason for sanding at all. The soaked mineral oil handles I have are all just fine, after they soak a couple days I take em out and let them dry a bit and they are just fine. No need for the polymerizing of the BLO. I will give it a try. If it really doesn't work out then I can always BLO it up after it dries out a bit.
 
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