Recommendations please, how and what to use to clean stag handles.

[losmuertos21]

Hi,

I would just like some general information on how to and what to use to clean stag handles. I have a couple knives that the handles are a bit dull/have this whitish residue on the brown areas of the stag handle. Also some of the rivets have some green discoloration that I would like to clean off if possible. Please let me know your recommendations and what works best. Thank you.

 

[EyeDog]

Soap and water for general cleaning.
For polishing on my stag and smooth bone I use Simichrome Polish. It's a polishing paste made more for your blade but works great on a number of other items.

Remember that discoloration is part of the beauty of stag and bone. You might better call it coloration. I have used a belt sander with a honing belt to revive some handles and 1200 grit to re-profile a bone/stag handle.





Mike

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I've also used Simichrome to clean up some green staining (verdigris) around the brass pins on one of my stag-handled knives; it worked well for that, and will also polish the stag a little bit. If polishing bolsters with it (esp. nickel & brass), avoid getting the dirty polishing paste on the stag, as that can sometimes be tedious to clean up (but still possible with clean paste), as the darkened, dirty stuff will get into the grain. Covering the stag adjacent to the bolsters with some masking / painter's tape can help prevent that.


David