Red Oak handle question

panch0

panch0

Joined
Jun 16, 2008
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Ok i'm being lazy and havn't searched everywhere I could have. I just made a wooden handle for my third knife. I went to home depot a bought some red oak and it is a beige color. The question is what should I do to it to get a darker finish color. Should I stain it or is there another trick (cheapie way is what I am looking for right now). I remember something about using wax for a nice finish??? Thanks.
-frank
 
There are many things you can use to stain wood. Things I have dryad are soaking in coffee/tea, Rit fabric dye, walnut hulls, Iron oxide (rust) leather die.
 
You can also try very lightly going over the oak with a torch and then buffing it out with steel wool. Pretty nice look...
Matt Doyle
 
Just give it a day or two soak in Linseed oil. Darkens it up real nice.

Here are a couple of re-handles I did in oak, to give you an idea of how dark the linseed oil will get you. If you want darker, then you will have to experiment with some of the other options that have been given.

2887614239_383b5428fe.jpg
 
Last edited:
stingray4540 said:
Just give it a day or two soak in Linseed oil. Darkens it up real nice.

Here are a couple of re-handles I did in oak, to give you an idea of how dark the linseed oil will get you. If you want darker, then you will have to experiment with some of the other options that have been given.

2887614239_383b5428fe.jpg
Click to expand...

Thats the color I was looking for. Now do you get linseed oil at Home depot or Grocery stores? Also how is it applied? One application or two or more? Thanks.
-frank
 
Make sure that you buy boiled linseed oil. You can get it at Home Depot. Another great trick for staining light wood is to use Fiebings spirit based leather dye. it doesn't penetrate very deeply so if it is too dark, you can rub it with steel wool and lighten it up and then hit it with the linseed oil to finish it.
 
panch0 said:
Thats the color I was looking for. Now do you get linseed oil at Home depot or Grocery stores? Also how is it applied? One application or two or more? Thanks.
-frank
Click to expand...

Yes, you can get Boiled Linseed oil at just about any hardware store. Home Depot, Lowes, OSH, ACE, etc. It will be with the paints and stains.

You can apply it however you want. With a rag or brush and let dry between coats, if you do it this way I would do several coats.

Or, what I do, is put it in a container and dilute it with turpentine (50/50) and soak the handle in that for 3 days, take it out and wipe off the excess and let dry for 3 days to a week. Just make sure you use real turpentine if you use it.

P.S. Because Linseed oil doesn't give you a waterproof finish, I add about 20% pine resin to my linseed/turpentine mix. But Pine resin isn't necessary for the color, and is a little harder to come by unless you have pine trees near you.
 
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