Prefered Wood Finish For Wood Scales?

[FIUman]

I have a few new knives from Joker that have Olive, Walnut or Curly Birch handle scales. In the past I have used a product called Howard Wax It All on my wood handled kitchen knives with positive results. I put some of this product on an Olive wood handled Joker Campero, allowed it to sit for over a week in temps ranging from the mid 70oF to low 90oF. Upon rubbing off the wax I observed very little, if any pentration. This product pentrates 80 year old Dexter kitchen knife handles quite easily but I wonder if that Walnut had ever seen any treatment to the handles since manufacture. I am considering a mixture of boiled linseed oil and Japan Drier. I have used this on rifle stocks with success but I wonder if this will make the wood sufficiently water resistant to withstand field use in Southern Florida rain, heat and high humidity. Alternatively, I'm considering Danish Oil because I see this used by Scandinavian knife makers. I have no experience with Danish Oil and would like to get feedback about any advantages or disadvantages it might have over boiled linseed oil. Further, is there a finish that I should be aware of? I prefer not to use polyurethane or shellac type finishes as these feel slick in my hand . My main concern is to create a stable environment where the handles do not start to crack or warp when they go from my low humidity home to the high humidity outdoors. Thanks in advance.

 

[Stelth]

I have no idea, but I'm interested to hear what others think. I'm also in south Florida.

 

[Crag the Brewer]

I use and recommend Watco Danish oil finish.
"I put that shit on Everything ".......

It's Not going to stop warping or cracking though.

If you are worried, use stabilized wood.

 

[smith357]

I cook up a mix of tung oil and bee's wax, with a bit of orange peel or lemon peel for scent and use it on rosewood and ebony fretboards, axe and hammer handles, and knife handles.

 

[Unicorn161]

I like Danish oil, but would prefer tung oil (real) over the versions that use boiled linseed oil. Not really much more durable since the polyurethane or varnish gives it the surface protection, but for no real reason I prefer it. It has the same negative as all tung oil has in that it has a short storage life from the moment you break the seal.

It's basically a blend of boiled linseed or tung oil and polyurethane. The oil soaks into the wood to give an oil protection and the poly sits closer to the surface for better moisture protection. Since you wipe it off before it dries, you don't get the surface buildup like you do with pure polyurethane or varnish.
I've known people who soaked their grip scales (pistols and knives) or other small woodwork items in danish oil overnight by putting it in a glass jar, filling it to the top with danish oil, then capping it. Sometimes longer to let it soak into the wood more. I don't know if anyone has ever tested to see if it does go any deeper by using a small block of wood, doing this, then cutting it open to see if it penetrated better. But it sounds good.

 

[J. Doyle]

Olive wood is pretty naturally oily as it is. Not surprised it didn't absorb much oil.

Also don't be surprised if it cracks.

 

[FIUman]

Olive wood is pretty naturally oily as it is. Not surprised it didn't absorb much oil.

Also don't be surprised if it cracks.

I considered that olive wood may potentially have enough oil content to block wax type finishes. Obviously, the fruit and seed of the Olive tree contain oil but does the timber have enough oil to block oil type finishes? I just do not know.

 

[J. Doyle]

I considered that olive wood may potentially have enough oil content to block wax type finishes. Obviously, the fruit and seed of the Olive tree contain oil but does the timber have enough oil to block oil type finishes? I just do not know.

Yes.

 

[cudgee]

Also don't be surprised if it cracks.

Yes, fairly common with Olive Wood.

 

[kobold]

Tung oil is the best

 

[J. Doyle]

Tung oil is the best

That's a very broad (and somewhat subjective) statement. It lacks necessary context and can be pretty situational.

Tung oil would absolutely NOT be what I would use on olive wood, personally.

 

[Unicorn161]

I wasn't even thinking of the olive oil scales. It's a naturally oily wood so oil based finishes might not work well at all. Or take an extremely long time to cure if at all. I've known guy who made pens that had decent results with the wiping varnish because it's thinned and penetrates a bit. I've seen it suggested on furniture making forums for people using very oily woods like teak and it's supposed to work ok. There are some water based finishes that made for oily wood. Might be something worth looking into and trying if the price isn't too high.

 

[RustyIron]

Tung oil is the best

Well... maybe. It's hard to argue against stabilized wood. Even so, I'm a big fan of tung oil. I mean real tung oil. Linseed oil is second, but it tends to change the color a bit after six months or a year. The hard part is that some adulterated products are labeled "tung oil." Folks need to read the fine print.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Oils and waxes typically bond well to olive wood but it's famously unstable and prone to cracking and checking. It's also naturally acidic and so when used on knives stainless is preferred so it doesn't lead to corrosion issues. Being a pale wood I'd avoid linseed oil, which is notorious for the yellowing effect it has on wood color. My own personal preferred finish is one I formulated myself--my Super Safflower wax, which uses a blend of microcrystalline and polyethylene waxes in a high-linoleic acid safflower oil base. Safflower oil is ALMOST as rapidly polymerizing as linseed oil is but is non-yellowing, and has traditionally been used in light-colored oil paints for that reason. That being said, there are a great many wood finishes that should work on it. Due to the natural oil content of the wood, as you've noted, you're unlikely to get much penetration, but oils should at least get a little. Any sort of water-based coatings will generally fail to apply well.

 

[Alberta Ed]

Tung oil seems to last longer than linseed oil. I've used it on axe handles and canoe paddles. Recently I treated the walnut grips on my Kephart from Kabar/Becker with a coat of food-safe cutting board wax. Seemed to penetrate well and has held up to dish soap so far. (I have to wash it by hand so my wife, a serial knife abuser, won't stick it in the dish washer. )

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

Cutting board wax tends to be a mineral oil/beeswax blend. It's inexpensive and widely available, but also a pretty soft finish since beeswax is a soft wax and mineral oil is non-drying.