Wood handles. How to you care for yours?

B

Big Papa

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Dec 3, 2013
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Will the oil on your hand be enough to care for wood handles? Or do you apply something?
Just got an African Blackwood Viper.
Your suggestions?
 
They don't require a lot of care but it really will depend on your climate and how you treat your knives. I like to rub mine down with a little mineral oil from time to time and I also recently found that the silicon gun cleaning cloths seem to shine up the wood scales and I'm assuming will help protect them some as well. This here is the one I picked up for under $4.

 
On some occasions, I'll use Tung Oil, and that's only when I'm re-finishing some cleaned up butcher block, then I'll tung attack every piece of wood I can think of, a simple wipe down and buff with Rusty's Rags is more then adequate.

 
I like the results/protection from a thin coat of Renaissance Wax, (Micro-Crystalline Wax Polish). It drys hard and resists finger marks, doesn't yellow and buildup isn't an issue.
 
Whenever I wipe the blades down with mineral oil, I use whatever oil is left on the cloth and just lightly polish the scales.
 
Once a month or so, a drop of mineral oil followed by a little Ren wax. That's it.
Peter
 
Mine don't really get wet, or almost never. They're in and out of the pocket and in my hands in use. No chemical exposure per se. Now your environment might be different so your maintenance needs might be different.

For me? I don't do anything with them other than a super thin coat of mineral oil when I oil/wipe my blades/joints about once a month. My wood scales are African Blackwood and Cocobolo. Both have a natural oil content to begin with, so IMHO unless you're exposing them to something unusual, they don't really need any special care.

 
arizonaranchman said:
Mine don't really get wet, or almost never. They're in and out of the pocket and in my hands in use. No chemical exposure per se. Now your environment might be different so your maintenance needs might be different.

For me? I don't do anything with them other than a super thin coat of mineral oil when I oil/wipe my blades/joints about once a month. My wood scales are African Blackwood and Cocobolo. Both have a natural oil content to begin with, so IMHO unless you're exposing them to something unusual, they don't really need any special care.
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^That's almost exactly my habit, as well. In the desert southwest (I'm in NM), basically the priority is just to make sure wood handles don't get excessively dry. Even that might not be an issue if the wood was adequately dried (cured) when the knife was made, and therefore the would is relatively stable. What little I've done with mine basically mirrors the advice above. If lightly oiling the blades with mineral oil or whatever, just a light wipedown of the handles with the same oiled cloth is enough. This is more important if the knife has been wet; let it dry out for a few hours, then re-oil the wood a little bit.

Any mineral oil-based product used on wood furniture can work for this as well, also applied lightly with a soft, clean cloth. I did this with a couple old Case 12031L Electrician's Knives handled in walnut; one of which has some old chipping damage to one of it's covers and is a little more damage-prone if the wood were to get too dry. The light furniture oil just sinks right into the wood and disappears; that's just enough, and it doesn't alter appearance or feel of the natural wood at all.


David
 
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I like to seal the handle with Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil. Fills in the pores and evens out the surface of the wood.

- Christian
 
I've got some black ash handles, and some burl maple in the past. I did much of what is listed above. I found lemon oil on a rag, after I had worked over a table or furniture, would be more than enough for the knife handle. I am in the high plains of Texas, I have more dry out issues than anything. A swipe of the lemon oil once in a while works well for me.
 
I use a little gun oil from time to time on the joints and the scales, though certain oils seem to darken wood/bone a bit. I also use a Tuf-Cloth to easily once-over knives that aren't necessarily users and more collector pieces... Its a lot easier than pulling apart the collection to sit and oil for an extended period of time, plus it would drive my wife nuts to know how many knives I really own, lol!!!
 
I use food grade mineral oil (laxative found in any pharmacy dept.) on my users and Rennaissance Wax on my safe queens. I love desert ironwood burl and that's all
I use on them. Many off the collectors of wood handled Bark Rivers use the same.

BRDIBcollection2006.jpg



Food grade mineral oil is a highly refined petroleum oil. It will not gum up or go rancid like many food oils will.

Tom
 
Double Ott said:
I use food grade mineral oil (laxative found in any pharmacy dept.) on my users and Rennaissance Wax on my safe queens. I love desert ironwood burl and that's all
I use on them. Many off the collectors of wood handled Bark Rivers use the same.

BRDIBcollection2006.jpg



Food grade mineral oil is a highly refined petroleum oil. It will not gum up or go rancid like many food oils will.

Tom
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What a great pic and fantastic collection! Some really neat knives there.
 
Not much, actually.
I keep my knives clean, and put a drop of mineral oil every now and then.

Fausto
:cool:
 
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