Oak Handles

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There are several ways I go with my oak scales! My favorite way is to use a torch on them first, get the burn however you want it, then using a pair of rubber gloves, slather on three or four coats of Birchwood Casey's Tru Oil, to whatever look you like, then seal it with varnish and mineral spirits! Mix your varnish and mineral spirits one part varnish to two parts mineral spirits, spread it on, then wipe off excess, then let it dry in a dustless environment overnight or until it dries very well! Now knock it down with triple 000 steel wool! Brush it off real well, making sure you get all of the little fine steel wool dust off of it! Now, you can keep putting the mixture you already used on it, or the next step! The next step is to keep mixing up thicker and thicker mixtures of varnish until you are just using varnish! once you are using straight varnish, each time you let it dry, knock it down with your 000 steel wool! The more times you do that, with each coat, your finish will get glassier until it looks like you are looking through a 1/4 inch of glass! Makes it very pretty, and really seals whatever you're putting it on! You can also use one part each, of bees wax, linseed oil, and mineral spirits, kind of the same way! You can also get a wood polish, from some place like wood workers use, and then take a buffing wheel to it. Just depends on what you like! Heck, if you have time try all of them, to see which you like the best! The best ways are the hardest ways! Let me know how it works out for you! Hope that helps some of you!

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