Skinna Skinna, Chicken Dinna

I'm working on setting up a test for handle finishes, I'm gonna make a long handle and coat it with different stuff and leave it outside somewhere, probably in wire so mice dont get to it. Anyways I want to try plain leather, Beeswax, Sno Seal, the mixture I made for this, and superglue. Compressed and uncompressed of each. Any other ideas for finishes to test?

I think you might want to also make a mock knife handle that you keep in the house and just wash once or twice a day with soap and water and see what it looks like after a month or so. I'm not sure if leaving it outside is going to be an accurate test of how a knife is normally treated during normal using conditions. Although it may provide information on how it will hold up during extreme conditions. I made knife out of a file with a deer antler handle and a leather sheath years ago for my brother-in-law. Anyhow he dropped it out of his fanny pack during early bow season and left it buried in the wet leaves for two or three weeks and then started feeling bad and finally went back with a metal detector and found it. The sheath was so water logged that it weighed about 3-4 times as much as it normal would, the carbon steel blade was completely rusted into the sheath. I finally got them apart and the sheath dried way too small for the knife ever to fit it again so I cleaned the knife up for him and made him a new sheath. He then let knife sit in his garage and let the mice eat the sheath and part of the handle off the knife. At the time I built that knife I wasn't using snow seal for leather treatment I was using Tandy's Resolene, though I don't snow seal could have saved that sheath. My brother-in-law is also the reason I started putting kydex liners in my sheaths, because he pushed a knife blade through the side of a sheath and almost into his thigh. I did one experiment one time I took a piece leather got warm and soaked it with snow a few times and thew it in my quench bucket for a few days and it didn't soak up any water, it just floated around like a cork.
 
Good point Scott, it definitely wouldn't recreate normal use, I was thinking the most extreme conditions might give an idea of what holds up better. I'd like to at least keep some sunlight on it and have it go through the temperature changes. Maybe I can set up a gradual test, start with leaving it inside and rinsing it once a day to leaving it in a snowbank to sitting in the heat of summer.

This handle is the SnoSeal/Beeswax/Renwax concoction. It seemed to seal in well.
 
Good point Scott, it definitely wouldn't recreate normal use, I was thinking the most extreme conditions might give an idea of what holds up better. I'd like to at least keep some sunlight on it and have it go through the temperature changes. Maybe I can set up a gradual test, start with leaving it inside and rinsing it once a day to leaving it in a snowbank to sitting in the heat of summer.

This handle is the SnoSeal/Beeswax/Renwax concoction. It seemed to seal in well.
I'm putting my bet on spar varnish. Apply liberally, wipe well, and let dry. If it can withstand the wind and seas on sailboats, it can withstand anything.
 
I'll get my hands on some Spar Varnish and try that out too. I'm thinking about two inches of stack per finish.
 
I'll get my hands on some Spar Varnish and try that out too. I'm thinking about two inches of stack per finish.

Maybe buy some 2 1/2" x 1/4 x 20 bolts some fender washers and nuts make 3 or 4 of them and put them out in different environments.
 
What about Neatsfoot oil and Beeswax?
 
Maybe buy some 2 1/2" x 1/4 x 20 bolts some fender washers and nuts make 3 or 4 of them and put them out in different environments.
Great idea, just do the extreme element test with those maybe.

Forgot to mention maybe try epoxy also.
I've been using Bladebond, could try that.

What about Neatsfoot oil and Beeswax?
Like a 50/50 mix? I'll melt some up and see how it mixes.

Keep throwing ideas and I'll make a list and we'll go from there.

I've got another leather idea that I'm gonna fool with while I work on Rupes knife. The voices in my head have been busy, now if they'd just let me sleep!
 
Great idea, just do the extreme element test with those maybe.


I've been using Bladebond, could try that.


Like a 50/50 mix? I'll melt some up and see how it mixes.

Keep throwing ideas and I'll make a list and we'll go from there.

I've got another leather idea that I'm gonna fool with while I work on Rupes knife. The voices in my head have been busy, now if they'd just let me sleep!

I use the neatsfoot for on my boots it will darken but definitely protects.
 
Just wait until you see it finished, Mack. I think I might even post a video of it being tested.

I wish I was still driving out your way. I'd love to see it tested in person.
 
I wish I was still driving out your way. I'd love to see it tested in person.
Life is strange, Mack, we may well meet someday. Be nice to shake your hand, share a few brews with you, play with knives, a few guns, and do a little fishing too.
 
We need to make it happen.
 
A little late to the party on the leather preservatives John, but what about Obenauf's LP? I use it on all my leather goods (boots especially), and have been extremely happy with it. Might also be worth a look.
 
A little late to the party on the leather preservatives John, but what about Obenauf's LP? I use it on all my leather goods (boots especially), and have been extremely happy with it. Might also be worth a look.

I thought that was cologne. I love the smell of it.
 
I wish I was still driving out your way. I'd love to see it tested in person.

Life is strange, Mack, we may well meet someday. Be nice to shake your hand, share a few brews with you, play with knives, a few guns, and do a little fishing too.


The First Annual BFC- ATF party. Alcohol, tobacco and firearms. Oh and sharp pointy things too! ;)
 
Just found this thread, great project! I enjoyed the WIP, thanks so much for your thread and I learned alot reading it! Great info and knowledge shared by Lessismore, Scott and others. Scott W, what a great knife you got there!
 
You call me John or Johnny. Glad you enjoyed it, I had a lot of fun. Rupes "mission if you choose to accept it" thread is the current project that I'll try to post pics in.
 
You call me John or Johnny...
Now I finally have a good picture of you in my mind...



[video=youtube;G5neabZ5pVQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5neabZ5pVQ[/video]
 
A typical design discussion at Redmeadow.
[video=youtube;L8oAQOvOEXY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8oAQOvOEXY[/video]
 
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