Question about stan/sealer

jaegar

jaegar

Joined
Nov 5, 2004
Messages
280
Hi,
I'm working on a knife with an oak handle...My friend is taking care of sealing the handle, etc. He is new to knifemaking also, so I wanted to double check on the stuff he plans to use:
Quote "Ipswitch is an oil-based stain that also seals. I will use a special kind of Polyurethane called spar urethane to give it an extra tough seal and clear gloss finish"
Basically he is going to stain it, then use polyurethane to seal it...doesn't poyurethane crack over time?? :confused:
Thanks for the help
~Brian
(If pictures of the knife are neccesary, I dunno why, I have some)
 
IMHO don't use the poly or other such finish that lays on top of the wood. I recommend using an oil finish that will sink into the wood, allowing the texture of the wood to be felt. That's my personal preference, so YMMV.

For those in the crowd that use the Ballistol and beeswax finish, would this be a good application for it??
 
I was kinda thinking that. Would it work to just leave off the poly and just use the stain?
Thanks
~Brian
 
So basically my real question is...will Poly stand up to use over time or will it crack/discolor, etc.?
Thanks for the help guys.
~Brian
 
Of the many varnishes ,Spar Varnish is designed for spars on ships ,that is for outdoor use with the necessary UV protection etc. It is more durable than the others.But coatings like poly will eventually deteriorate especially at the edges where moisture can go under the coating and start to chip and peel it. So it's a matter of time.
 
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