What oil to use to seal wooded hawk handle?

A

agoutihead

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May 5, 2007
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A friend of mine & I both have a couple of wooden hawk handles we would like to "finish"

The one he gave me is either oak or hickory (we don't know which) & his is the curly maple. (I hope to also get a curly maple in the near future.)

We know there is an oil that makes the curly maple really "pop", what kind is it?

Can the same oil be used on my oak/hickory one?

Do they then have to be sealed with a lacquer or anything?

Hoping to wrap the handles in paracord then afterwards.

Thanks
 
Boiled Linseed Oil should bring out the grain and does a great job protecting the wood, though a rub with beeswax might help with grip and waterproofing.
I like Tung oil myself, it is darker and leaves a grippy and hard surface. Several coats allowed to dry and rubbed with fine steel wool will give a better finish.

Mr. Google tells me BLO will also be a good finish for curly maple.
 
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Tung Oil is better than BLO IMO. It leaves a clear coat on the wood. The BLO smells like used cooking grease to me and doesn't appear to leave a protective coating like Tung Oil does.
 
I think tung oil is rather more poisonous, if I recall the label correctly.
 
daizee said:
I think tung oil is rather more poisonous, if I recall the label correctly.
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Well just don't eat it! :D

Once the Tung Oil has dried, it's like a clearcoat. No worries. I've tung oiled gunstocks, walking sticks and my opinels with no problems whatsoever!
 
Tung oil produces a more water resistant finish than boiled linseed oil. BLO gives very little water resistance. Neither BLO nor Tung on should be used on kitchen implements. Instead use food safe mineral oil on wooden kitchen implements.
 
Tung oil until the grain is filled. Cover with Johnsons Paste Wax for non slip waterproof finish.

Larry
Tinkerer
 
tinkerer said:
Tung oil until the grain is filled. Cover with Johnsons Paste Wax for non slip waterproof finish.

Larry
Tinkerer
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I've found that to be slick once your hands get hot from working your arse off, YMMV.
 
Tung oil is FDA approved for food contact (after finish has dried). Linseed oil is also known as flaxseed oil and is a food additive, but boiled linseed oil has toxic dryers added.
 
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If the label says "pure" or 100% tung oil you're good to go. I asked a woodworker at a farmers market that made cutting boards and spoons, he used tung oil and finished with bees wax. It comes from a nut, so nut allergies are still a factor.
 
Liam Ryan said:
Tung oil is FDA approved for food contact (after finish has dried). Linseed oil is also known as flaxseed oil and is a food additive, but boiled linseed oil has toxic dryers added.
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I was wondering about the BLO. It doesn't list any additives, but DOES say that if you need food-grade stuff to use "Raw Linseed Oil", which was right next to it on the shelf, but takes longer to dry. I picked up my first BLO yesterday and applied it to my Warren boy's axe handle. It smells like flax seeds or flax cooking oil. IIRC, flax oil is not all that stable untreated. I don't mind it at all. Hell, my 1084 oil-hardening blades are quenched in warm canola. :D

I find it odd that 'mineral oil' is so commonly used for wooden kitchen implements (indeed, on my own homemade cutting boards too) and as a laxative considering that it is not plant based.
 
I noticed mineral oil is food grade as well, it must be scentless. I kind of want some to mess around with, tung oil is nice but the girlfriend hates the smell. (we just live in a small apartment.)
 
I have never used Tung oil in its pure form. My understanding is that it will build up on the wood and kind of seal it. Is that correct?
Would that make it like useing a varnished handle?
 
I suppose it is like a varnish, but at the same time it is just oil, it is providing a protective layer the repels water. The layer is not really a separate barrier like varnish though, as to get the proper finish you sand between coats, and the fine particles fill in the grain, and it ends up with a nice attractive finish that is slightly grippy.
Here is an interesting article I found in a few seconds with google, explains it a bit better.
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/finishing/oil-finishes-their-history-and-use
 
Liam Ryan said:
I suppose it is like a varnish, but at the same time it is just oil, it is providing a protective layer the repels water. The layer is not really a separate barrier like varnish though, as to get the proper finish you sand between coats, and the fine particles fill in the grain, and it ends up with a nice attractive finish that is slightly grippy.
Here is an interesting article I found in a few seconds with google, explains it a bit better.
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/finishing/oil-finishes-their-history-and-use
Click to expand...

Thank you. That clears things up. Bob Flexner knows what he is talking about. I have one of his books, its great.
I have a few axes to hang. Going to give the Tung oil a try. For some unknown reason Wood Crafters seems to think I have two birthdays in the same year. Just got a coupon in the mail, along with a catolog that I noticed had 100% tung oil.
 
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