Wood Handle Maintenance (Frequency?)

S

sektr

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Oct 27, 2015
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Hey guys, so I've got two wood handled knives and right now I treat them with mineral oil. I know once in awhile it's advised to re-oil them, and when the handles start to get noticeably worn to sand them with a very high grit and then use linseed oil.

My question is, how often should I be oiling the handles of my wood knives, considering they only see use maybe 3-4 times a year and are mostly untouched? If my frequency of use becomes much more regular I'd assume like once a month, but if they're barely used at all is once every year or so good?
 
Unless they're getting wet during use (or cleaning), or you live in an area that's usually very dry (desert southwest of the U.S.A., for example), you might not need to oil them at all. Wood which gets wet and then dries, or is exposed to extremely dry conditions most of the time (relative humidity below 20-30%), can sometimes be prone to shrinking, warping or cracking (or all of these). Even if so, you likely shouldn't need to apply much oil to them to keep them in good shape. Just a wipe with a clean oil-moistened rag maybe 2-4X a year may be all they'll need. No need to overdo it, though.

I've lived in the desert SW (NM) for most of my life (I'm 54), with ~20 years of that in somewhat more humid Central Texas, and have rarely felt a genuine need to oil my wood-handled knives' scales. Even so, if they do get a little dry-looking, I sometimes wipe down the wood scales with the residual mineral oil left on my fingers or a rag after oiling the blades or pivots; usually done as a matter of convenience while doing other routine upkeep. That's all they've needed, and I've never had any issues with cracking, shrinking or warping.


David
 
Same here, SW native and there hasn't been any wood implement that cracked unless it left outside through multiple rainy then hot days.
Everything else that hasn't been neglected like that had no problem. My birch scales still look great even though it gets splashed now and then.
I wipe it down every 6-9 months.
 
If they're unused the finish shouldn't need to be renewed at all, but maybe once a year wouldn't do any harm. For knife and tool handles I use an oxidising oil, either patent "Danish Oil" or Tung oil. In either case to touch up the finish on a knife I'd just wet the tip of my finger with the oil then rub it into the wood. NB the oils I use are all food safe however Boiled Linseed Oil is toxic.
 
Mineral oil is not particularly good for wood.
A good paste wax works much better.
 
For Danish, linseed, tung, etc..

Once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year and once a year for the rest of your life
 
Uhhhh, no. Follow the instructions on the can. Tung oil varnish (waterlox) 2-3 coats are all you'll need.
Danish oil, the same. Raw linseed oil takes a very long time to fully oxidise and harden. "Boiled" linseed
oil which contains metallic driers dries quicker. If you use raw linseed oil with the schedule in the previous
post, you'll wind up with a gummy, sticky mess.:(
 
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