what oil/finish for raw wooden handle?

[skinnybenny]

basically, i got the urge to make wooden handles for my bryd crow. problem is i'm no carpenter really. i've got the shape done, all i need to do now is sand and prime. my problem is that i'm not sure what products to use to finish the handle with. some one told me that "tru oil" works well. basically i want the wood to look like something you'd expect to see on a highend luxury car's gear shift or something. like glossy and slick. i got some forsbys high gloss tung oil. but i'm not sure if that will work.

 

[skinnybenny]

oh, ps, the wood is red oak.

 

[M. McCord]

Tung oil will work.

 

[DrThunder88]

I'd say tung oil is not your best choice, but Formby's tung oil finish isn't tung oil, so it should work. In fact, just about any clear surface finish will achieve that look. I'd imagine the stuff actually used on genuine wood auto parts is a catalyzed lacquer or conversion varnish, but those are usually impractical for hobbyists. Just be sure to sand the finish between coats with wet/dry paper backed with something with less give that your fingers but more give than the wood itself.

It will take a while to fill the pores in red oak with finish, so you may want to consider a paste filler.

 

[udtjim]

I have used linseed oil on quite a few knife handles. I usually rub in 10 or more coats.

 

[StretchNM]

This a little bit of work if you're looking for something easy, but it'll last and look nice:

Sand progressively down to 320 grit.

Fresh-mixed is best, but my guess is you'll be better off with some Bull'sEye shellac from Lowes or Home Depot. If you have denatured alcohol, pour off some shellac from the can and cut it - 2 to 1 with the alcohol. If not, use it straight from the can.

Apply a nice coat with a blue shop towel. If you thinned it, apply another coat or two about 15 mins apart. If not, let it dry overnight, buff it ALL off with 00 steel wool, and apply another coat. After all coats are dry, buff off with 00 steel wool.

NOW..... apply your boiled linseed oil or Watco Danish oil (either are recommended), varnish, poly, whatever. ANY finish can be applied over the shellac.

Buff with 0000 steel wool when all finishes are dry. Wax when done.

You'll like it.

 

[mrjed]

Tung oil will work.

Pure tung oil needs to be cut with a thinner. (Mineral spirits, or paint thinner)
It's too thick to be absorbed as is. Check and make sure whether it's 100% tung or some previously modified finish.
jd

 

[skinnybenny]

thanks for all the input. i'll post some pics when i'm through. still not sure exactly how i'm going to go about it. i just still have alot to consider

 

[Buk]

I made a paring knife with walnut scales from a Green River blade that I had bought years ago. Knowing that it would spend time in dishwater I used super-glue to finish the walnut. I'll have to say that after several month's use, they still look like the day I completed them.........

 

[willy m]

please please dont put a nice knife in the dishwasher!!!! it will suck the life right out of the handle and bang your nice sharp edge aginst all the other silverware. it wont take long till it looks like yard sale fodder!!! just my 2 cents worth! willy

 

[nozh2002]

basically, i got the urge to make wooden handles for my bryd crow. problem is i'm no carpenter really. i've got the shape done, all i need to do now is sand and prime. my problem is that i'm not sure what products to use to finish the handle with. some one told me that "tru oil" works well. basically i want the wood to look like something you'd expect to see on a highend luxury car's gear shift or something. like glossy and slick. i got some forsbys high gloss tung oil. but i'm not sure if that will work.

Best one is Carnauba wax. I use Carnauba pipe polish from tobacco shop which has some silicone added to Carnauba.

Can not resist to put some slide show of handle making for you - as a pictures to back up my words

Thanks, Vassili.

 

[StretchNM]

Nice work! That looks like Padauk....maybe bloodwood. Either way, it is insufficient to apply wax only, UNLESS, the knife is for display and not use. The wood needs a sealer coat before the wax, which is why I recommend shellac (thinned, as a wood sealer). Two or three thin coats, each buffed off with steel wool before the next coat, and all of it buffed off before the wax, will protect the wood from most anything except a dishwasher (WHY do we need a dishwashing machine to wash a knife??)

 

[nozh2002]

This is Madagascar rosewood.

I use this pipe polish which is liquid - very thin.

I use it against bush:

after I washed it from all tis green stuff - mirror polish again:

Thanks, Vassili.

 

[StretchNM]

It's Padauk, Vassili. Madagascar rosewood sounds good (from a retailer's perspective it sells better), but Padauk is the proper name. Keep it from the sun as much as possible. However much care you give it, it will eventually darken almost to the color of its origin (in your first photo - attached to the blade). There's no way of stopping the darkening/aging process that I know of - you can only hope to slow it down by eliminating ultra-violet light. I've worked with many a board foot of the stuff - it's very hard and a good choice for a knife handle, I would think.

I like the grind you put on that blade. One of my biggest beefs about knife grinders is they don't take enough care to follow the radius of the knife from belly to tip when grinding. It looks like you covered that well on yours. :thumbup:

 

[nozh2002]

It's Padauk, Vassili. Madagascar rosewood sounds good (from a retailer's perspective it sells better), but Padauk is the proper name. Keep it from the sun as much as possible. However much care you give it, it will eventually darken almost to the color of its origin (in your first photo - attached to the blade). There's no way of stopping the darkening/aging process that I know of - you can only hope to slow it down by eliminating ultra-violet light. I've worked with many a board foot of the stuff - it's very hard and a good choice for a knife handle, I would think.

I like the grind you put on that blade. One of my biggest beefs about knife grinders is they don't take enough care to follow the radius of the knife from belly to tip when grinding. It looks like you covered that well on yours. :thumbup:

Thanks!

Padauk is relatively soft wood, but most important with pretty specific smell which hard to not to recognize. This one we talk about is harder and do not have this smell. Also it is darker in color, different wood pattern and bit more stable against light.

This is one of my early knife with Padauk:

Some related links:
Padauk - http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/padauk.htm
Madagaskar rosewood - http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/rosewood, madagascar.htm

Here - different woods I tried on my handles (I am not doing this for a while):
http://playground.sun.com/~vasya/wood.html

Thanks, Vassili.

 

[StretchNM]

That looks liek a Scandi grind...or is it the angle of the blade in the picture? I like the rosewood one alot.

 

[nozh2002]

Yes, second one is Helle Safari blade I just made handle, but rosewood one I grind myself - one of the first blade I grind myself (it is A2 heat treated by Paul Bos).

Thanks, Vassili.