Natural handle material finish options (oil, varnish, dye) - where to start?

matus

matus

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Apr 24, 2009
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Hi,

I am about start to make some knife handles - natural wood (non stabilised), birch bark and maybe leather. I am wondering what surface finish materials should I have a look into. I would like to be able to boost a little natural contrast of the wood, maybe alter slightly the color etc. There is tons of stuff out there - from linseed oil to some very special and expensive varnishes and it is hard to try to select 1 or 2 different ones just to try them.

Example - I have seen some really lovely looking curly birch handles that were partially darkened/dyed.

I am not looking into dyed resins used to stabilise wood - if I want to use that kind of material I would simply buy it ready to use.

So - I am out for a recommendation for some basic finishing oils/varnishes/dyes to be able to get different effects on the wood.

thanks :)
 
There are many ways, I have had good success with Watco Danish Oil
 
If you want something small to start out with, Birchwood Casey sells a stock oil in 3 oz bottles.
 
Thanks for your answers so far. I would only like to stress that I am located in Germany and would prefer not to import from outside EU. The shop I am looking at (for example) is dictum.com
 
I like using Teak oil. It's specifically recommended for outdoor use and weather exposure, whereas Danish oil is usually recommended for indoor applications only. Teak oil also seems to penetrate wood better than linseed oil, and it "flows" better (i.e. not as thick or sticky). Also, I've noticed linseed oil can sometimes raise the wood grain, and teak oil seems less likely to do that.
 
Whatever dying and finish methods and types you use, the key element of a good handle finish is that the finish is IN the wood ... not ON it. Work the finish in, wipe off excess after 5-10 minutes, let dry overnight, sand lightly with 800 grit paper, re-apply, wipe, dry, repeat. After five to ten "coats" the handle will have a lovely shine, but won't look like a varnished tabletop. At the last three "coats", go to 1000, 2000, 4000 grit paper, then hand buff with a soft cloth and a tiny amount of carnauba wax.
 
If you decide on tru-oil, I don't recommend the aerosol version. Unless you're using a lot at once the nozzle gets clogged and is close to impossible to unclog. It's not the normal nozzle cap used on hairsprays and whatnot. $15 +/- is pretty expensive to only get a couple of uses before it becomes an inefficient method.

Having said that, tru-oil leaves a nice finish and isn't hard to apply or get a variety of results depending on what you desire. A novice can do it pretty easily.
 
CCL oil is good on wood
Get it from brisa.fi
Tru oil can be found on ebay.co.uk
Also look for the web shops of Juergen Schanz, Stefan Steigerwald or Wolf Borger. They are in Germany and all sell knife making materials and can do HT for you if you like
 
Thanks. Concerning the HT I am already in contact with Juergen Schanz and my first 3 blades are now with Achim Wirtz. But yes - I will check their shops, thanks.
 
If only using one finish for everything, I agree with AVigil.
Watco Brand Danish Oil is great for most woods and very forgiving in regards to temperature and humidity.
Birch will change from white to an amber color.
Apply a liberal coat, let it soak in, then wipe away any excess with a soft cloth.
Repeat until you like how it looks.
 
Thanks, I am starting to see some light at the end of this oily tunnel :) I do not necessarily hve to be using one finish for everything, but I definitely want to keep it simple for the start. 1 or 2 finishes would be enough and faster to learn to use effectively.

So - let me get to the next level. If I am going to start with 2 different oil/finishes and let's say one of the will be the Danish Oil - what would be good option for the 2nd one? I would prefer something that gives different result to danish oil so that I can nake 2 different finishes.
 
Danish oil gives a more satin sheen, and tru oil gets glossier. Those are the two finishes I use. People who know wood love the watco Danish oil finish. The handle feels like soapstone in the hand. Tru oil is glossier. It provides a bit more pop to the handle, but feels more plasticky in the hand. It's a subtle difference, but noticeable. I use a paste wax for the final finish, particularly with a tru oil handle. This can give a lacquer like gloss.
 
There are some tips and tricks that you might want read about concerning what oil goes with what type of wood the best. Some work better with certain woods while some wood, like oily hardwoods, don't do well with any of them. And stabilized wood is a crapshoot.

As far as leather, I personally wouldn't think oils that harden would do well on surfaces that flex. That may be a job for wax or something. These oils harden into a soft, almost lacquer type finish. I guess I'd equate it to shoe polish and how that acts, except it's liquid instead of paste.
 
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Thanks. I am only talking about wood finish here. Leader would be a separate topic indeed. With hardwoods I will only use mineral oil and/or board butter (mix of mineral oil and bee's wax) - that is what I use with all my kitchen knife natural wood handles.
 
matus said:
Thanks. I am only talking about wood finish here. Leader would be a separate topic indeed. With hardwoods I will only use mineral oil and/or board butter (mix of mineral oil and bee's wax) - that is what I use with all my kitchen knife natural wood handles.
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Cool, in the original post it says something about leather.
 
About a wood & oil finish. Use the oil with some 220 grit, once the shaping is done, to wet sand the entire surface. Let the "slurry" sit on the surface to harden completely, but don't wipe it off! This will look very ugly if it's done properly.

The slurry forms a paste which is pushed into the pores and becomes a filler. When this is completely dry, sand it back off with some 320 & more oil. If all the pores are filled, wipe this off & let it dry again. If the pores are still visible, it didn't dry enough, do it again. Knock it down again with the next grit & keep sanding with oil each time, once the pores are filled. Continue with this process until you have the look you want & finish with a spot of oil on your hand to coat the surface & fill in the small scratches left by the last grit (600-1000, wherever you decide to stop). This will give a nice, deep, satin finish which looks very nice.

It takes a fair amount of time, but looks amazing when done. If you have a warm area available (water heater closet, furnace room) the oil will dry a bit faster. Looking forward to seeing the results.
 
bodog said:
Cool, in the original post it says something about leather.
Click to expand...

Sorry, you are indeed correct. With leather as hadnle material I meant stacked leather (like on some puukko knives). But those will just get some leather-oriented oil treatment.
 
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