Quick Treatment for Hardwood Handles

A

Aktundra

Joined
Feb 17, 2019
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Looking for advice. I am helping a bunch of teen boys make a knife. Actually using steel from a saw, cut by a water jet for the blank. So really they are just epoxying & pinning hardwood scales, then shaping the handle to their liking with belt sanders.

I am not going to have time to stabilize all of the hardwood (cut from exotic flooring samples). Time is limited at the camp

What is a quick economical treatment for the wood handles. I was going to use a beeswax/mineral oil treatment for the handles. Would tung oil be better ?
 
I use Watco Danish Oil on non stabilized woods, for Many years.
It's a proven formula.
And it's super easy. Comes in a variety of colors/shades.

I'll even occasionally put it on micarta.
I like the feel, the look.....and Even the smell.
Good memories.
 
Tru Oil is quick drying and creates a hard, durable finish. Coats only require about 2 hrs to dry, with light steel wooling between coats you can have a reasonably tough built-up finish in a few coats, but the more the better. Can be buffed to satin or gloss easily.

Tung oil FINISHES … like Crag’s suggestion above are also an excellent option and many well-known makers use them. They are really a varnish-based finish and often contain little to no tung oil at all, despite the name. They penetrate probably a little better than Tru Oil , but I think they are a bit slower to build layers if that’s a consideration.

Tung oil…PURE tung oil takes a long time, like days/week even months to fully to cure. It’s my personal favorite, but it’s not often the best choice when time is a factor.
 
Some good options here! You might also consider a newer type of super glue called Glu-Boost, which is a slower drying product. Guys that turn custom wood pens are using it with excellent results. Guitar repairmen also have been using it. I bet it would be a good choice to stabilize wood knife scales.
 
Biosheild #9 hard oil is my favorite for a natural oil finish.
 
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