Question for the pros on ironwood scales

A

asmith80

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Oct 19, 2011
Messages
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I've just rehandled a Fallkniven S1 with ironwood scales and as a finish I put on a coat of gunstock wax. The wax wasn't holding up well (wearing away at the points of contact with my kydex sheath) so I used some steel wool to get rid of it and put on three coats of minwax fast-drying polyurethane. After letting it dry I've noticed the same thing happening...the poly is chipping and wearing away at the points where the handle makes contact with the kydex as I draw and sheath the knife.

Is there something I'm doing wrong? Is there a better protective finish for ironwood?
 
There is no finish that will really stick to ironwood....the wood is far too dense to allow any kind of saturation.

You could simply use a satin finish and continually refinish the wood, if you so choose.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Thanks for the quick replies guys,

2knife said:
Maybe Tung oil..
David
Click to expand...

I've heard that gunsmiths thin tung oil out with some mineral spirits to make it penetrate better into stocks when they finsih them...think something like that would work with how dense ironwood is?
 
I've never put any kind of finish on Ironwood and I've used it quite a bit. When I use it so much that the handle starts to get dark I just buff it and it's as good as new.
 
I would agree with the guys above. Ironwood is so dense and oily that you really don't need to finish it. If it gets tacky or dark, just buff it out. If it gets a ding, just lightly sand it out. If I let mine sit for more than a couple of weeks, I hit them with a light coat of Ren Wax just to give them a bit of surface protection.

TedP
 
My suggestion is to stick with the wax and re-wax once in a while like you would with a pair of shoes.
 
Right, it's not just the density, it's the oils.

asmith80 said:
Is there something I'm doing wrong?
Click to expand...

Kydex is a bad choice for knives with fine wood handles, and your troubles are one of the biggest reasons why. Get a nice leather sheath made for that bad boy and you won't have that problem. It will look much cooler, too.
 
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