Varnished Handle Durability?

Apothecary

Apothecary

Joined
Oct 28, 2000
Messages
1,077
Have noticed that several khukuris with varnished handles (wood and water buffalo horn) are holding up much better than the unvarnished stuff.

Is BirGhorka making a varnished handle a regular practice?
 
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Varnished Horn?!?
I hadn't noticed, now I'm gonna have to lok over the last one I got in, 15" Sirupati.

Just did and it doesn't appear to be. How can you tell if the horn is varnished?
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Sounds like a Great Idea though and especially if it improves performance.
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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

Each person's work is always a portrait of himself.

---- Samuel Butler.

Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website
 
¥vsa, I have one 18 inch AK by Kumar with a horn handle that is unmistakenably varnished as I can see the brush strokes as a result of the varnish being laid on so thickly.

It may help make the horn more durable and less prone to cracking, but only time will tell.

It would be interesting to see what Uncle Bill says about this.
 
You can say that again, Uncle.
It's ALMOST making my Kothimoda jealous
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Now this is interesting, and yes Harry I agree that it may make the horn less prone to cracking.
I have been fortunate with the horn handles I have, as none of them have cracked, however they have all shrunk a bit.
But then all of the wood handles have shrunk a bit as well, but it appears not quite so much as the horn.
The only wood handles I have that have cracked are the the ones I have worked down without oiling them first during extremely dry weather; colder winter days.

I like a continuous penetrateing finish myself, but Jerry is pretty high on the product,Krol Oil(sp?) that he says leaves a hard non-slick finish.

Personally the reason I like the continuous penetrateing oils is that I don't get blisters from using yard tools with wood handles treated this way.
I always sand off the original finish on wood yard tool handles and wipe them down with boiled linseed oil. I know it does harden, but several coats of it penetrates very deep, protecting both the wood and my hands. And I don't believe the boiled linseed oil ever gets as hard as a varnish, shellac, or other non-penetrateing finish.

I would really like to know the long term results of the varnish on the wood and horn handles, and especially the horn.

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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

Each person's work is always a portrait of himself.

---- Samuel Butler.

Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website
 
I wouldn't want a horn handle varnished, myself. I've found up here in the alternate wet and dry of Maine that the best thing to stabilize horn is wax and silicone. I have a silicone rag with which I periodically wipe down my ivory Randalls, a couple of stags, and now the 'buffler' of my khuks. That plus an occasional good cleaning and coat of hard bowling-alley wax makes for a pretty stable and good-feeling handle that's not too slick, believe it or not. I got lots of cracks and shrinkage before I began this regimen.
On a wood handle, I'd prefer the knife to be delivered with no finish, then I'd use the hand-rubbed oil that I have used for over 30 years on gun stocks. This penetrates, seals and has a loverly glow that makes the wood-grain look about a half inch deep. Easily touched up, too. But it takes time and patience to apply, and works best on close-grained or well-filled hardwoods. I don't know the characteristics of the wood that the Nepali kamis use, would have to experiment. Thinned Varathane in several handrubbed coats works pretty well with softer woods, too.

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The sword cannot cut itself, the eye cannot see itself.
 
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