New Haft Finish???

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Glock17JHP

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Aug 23, 2007
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I am trying out (on instinct) a new haft finish (at least new to me)...
I don't know for sure if it will work, or how it will look, but I am actually trying it on a 'walking stick' first, before I try it on a tomahawk haft...

The walking stick is 1 inch diameter hard pine, and it is 5 feet long...
It was originally 6 feet long, so the 1 foot section that I cut off will serve as a 'control' piece, to show the changes in the wood from the original appearance as I go along...

I stuck a standard Kingsford charcoal briquet in a ziplock and hammered it into a powder. I then put the powder in a bowl of warm water and mixed it as well as possible (it was gritty like it had sand in it). I simply scooped up handfuls of this 'charcoal water' and rubbed it into the wood... over and over and over (maybe 15-20 minutes total). After seeing a darkening to the grain that seemed OK to my preference, I stopped adding the 'charcoal water' mixture, but continued to rub the wood until it felt mostly dry to the touch...

The walking stick is propped in the corner now with a folded-up paper towel under the bottom end, and another folded one where the top touches the wall. My intention is to get a 'hand-rubbed' finish or something (I will look at Lowe's to see what looks good) to seal the 'stain', and perhaps to seal the wood from future exterior moisture... but I will get a picture of the 'stained' wood before doing that...

Suggestions on the finish/seal would be appreciated... I will show a picture of the 'stained' appearance first, though... as soon as I can get some decent sunlight, that is (I am in California where we have been having freak storms with wind, heavy rain, thunder, lightening, hail and a tornado!!!)
 
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OK, the 'Charcoal Wash' (that is what I have decided to call it) stain has thoroughly dried... Here is a picture of the wood before and after the stain, side-by-side for comparison...

Next step is the laquer/varnish, suggestions would be appreciated on the particular choices...

Comments are welcome, also!!!

CharcoalWashBeforeAfter.jpg
 
I like boiled linseed oil for these applications. Lowe's sells something called "Australian Timber Oil" that seems to be mainly BLO and tung oil with some UV resistance added- can get it in little sample cans that work well for small jobs like this. I've had good luck with it.
 
Any way you can post a picture of the finish, or of something that has the finish on it?
Is the finish you are describing shiny, or more of a satin finish?
 
That came out great! Can't wait to see how it looks finished.
 
Interesting, the light areas on the original wood (the top one in the picture) are the areas that 'soaked-up' the 'Charcoal Wash' the most (because they are the 'softer' wood areas)... so the charcoal-colored areas on the lower picture were the lightest-colored areas originally...
 
OK, the 'coating' I have been advised to use on the 'walking stick' (by a close friend) is:
Minwax Liquid Plastic

I have been advised to rub it on with a rag, thin layers on top of thin layers, allowing drying time between layers of at least 24 hours...

Any agreement here, or other suggestions?

Not sure what 'coating' will be best on the hawk haft, though...
 
BLO and natural oil based finishes soak into the wood and then harden. In my experience the polyurethane type finishes sit on top of the wood- they work well but also wear easier.

I guess I can't post a picture here- sorry, I tried.
 
For the 'walking stick' I want a fairly 'weather-proof'/water-proof coating/finish... as much as is practical, since the 'walking stick' might be used in the rain, or to cross streams, etc. When I do the hawk haft, that may not be the best approach... the BLO and natural oil based finishes might be a lot better, but maybe not for both (IMHO, of course)... Not sure, though...

I would like advice for the 2 items separately ('walking stick' and hawk haft), since they might not be best with the same coating, even if the staining method is identical...

Thoughts on this?
 
I just pulled out one of my walking sticks- hawthorn finished with BLO- and ran it under the hose. Water beaded up and ran off without any problem.

One reason for you to go with the polyurethane might be that it might preserve the charcoal finish better. I'm not sure how deep it goes into the wood but the plastic might help prevent it from wearing off.

Personally I wouldn't use pine for a tool haft in the first place. I've broken a number of ash shafts that were a lot stronger than pine to begin with.
 
Oh, I am NOT planning on pine (hard or soft) for the hawk haft!!!
In fact, I am re-thinking the 'Charcoal Wash' stain for the hawk, since the hickory would probably be too hard for the 'stain' to penetrate... I think hard pine is OK for the 'walking stick/staff, just not the hawk...

For the hawk, I am now thinking ebony stain... then BLO sounds good on top of that...
 
OK, I went to ACE Hardware and bought an 11-ounce spray can of 'indoor/outdoor 'satin' finish polyurethane... I did not sand the 'walking staff' before spray application, since I did not want to risk losing any of the 'Charcoal Wash' stain. I applied 2 coats lightly, then 2 more coats at a medium-level, allowing ample drying times between coats. i ended up using the entire 11-ounce can!!! It is a bit rough-feeling, but I have a wonderful plan... I am planning on letting it sit now for about 5 days, then I am going to lightly sand the whole thing (with the grain) with very fine sandpaper (this Friday), just enough so that it is smooth. After that, I am going to try to apply 4 more coats, but i am going to use 'semi-gloss' this time (same coating in every other way, except the luster (lustre?)... I want a bit more 'shine'...

Here is the way it looks in direct sunlight this afternoon...

CharcoalWashSatinUnsanded.jpg


Compare that to the next picture from earlier... 'unfinished' (top) and 'stained' (bottom)...

CharcoalWashBeforeAfter.jpg


Comments are welcomed!!!
 
Q...

Coming from you... that means a lot!!!

I will post a final picture in roughly a week (assuming all goes 'perfect')...
If you email me, I will keep your address long enough to send a series of pictures, some close-up like these, some not so close...

I am hesitant to add too many pictures to 'Photobucket'
 
vec,

Ditto what I said to Q...

You also have a great reputation here... your positive feedback is good to hear, sir... I have seen pictures of hawks from both you as well as Q!!!

I think the finished product will be very nice... smoother, but shinyer (shinyer? Is that a real word? Maybe I should say 'more shiny'?)...
 
isn't it great that there are so many talented people on this board, brother glock'...!?!!

i have really been falling in love with Matte Acrylic out of a humble Krylon spray can - it really makes your base colors sharp and scratch resistant too.

like wrapping yer stuff in a Nalgene bottle, sez i...!

vec
 
very nice!

for my walking sticks i use a capped off length of ABS pipe and i fill it with Danish Tung Oil. I soak the walking stick for about 2 months and then steel wool it silky smooth with 0000 steel wool. The oil permeates right thru the entire wood and makes it fully waterproof, with a very nice orange glow to it.
 
Bushman5 said:
very nice!

for my walking sticks i use a capped off length of ABS pipe and i fill it with Danish Tung Oil. I soak the walking stick for about 2 months and then steel wool it silky smooth with 0000 steel wool. The oil permeates right thru the entire wood and makes it fully waterproof, with a very nice orange glow to it.
Click to expand...

....you mean, brother '5, that you use the ABS pipe to hold the stick and oil, correct?

vec
 
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