Hello, everyone. Great site! Really wet behind the ears and need some help. I'm working on a mixed curly birch/cocobolo handle for a puukko and would like to know know if I'm on the right track. I got a recipe off the boards for a linseed/tung/gum turpentine/Japanese drier recipe that should seal and finish the wood for me. Should I bleach the wood before hand? How many coats of this concoction should I apply. How long should this method last on a day to day use basis?
Thank you so much,
Atlatler

I'm not familiar with that concoction you mentioned, though I'm sure it will work as well as any surface finish. I wanted to throw in my two cents worth though and suggest that, in the future, you send your wood out and have it stabilized. After that is done, no special finishing is needed, just buff it and the finish will last the life time of the knife. Much better than any kind of finish that you could apply to the surface of the handle.

There are several places that provide stabilizing services at very reasonable prices. Most often, I use K&G Finishing...

Atlatler,

If you are wanting to lighten the color of the woods mentioned then you will have to bleach them prior to any finish. The same is true if the bleach is to kill off any fungus or mold.

The finish that you mentioned is a soft finish and is not a permanent one. This is one that will work fine as long as the future owner will give the handle a light coat of oil once a year.

I agree on the stablizing. It is a much more permanent way of protecting the wood.

Gary

Amen to what Ray said.

what is wood stabilizing and where is it done? I keep seeing it mentioned.

Russ

The wood is subjected to a vacuum to pull out all the air, then submitted to a pressurized liquid acrylic that fills all the interstices. After it is cured, it will not shrink, swell, split, check, or warp, and can be polished to a high gloss finish with no varnish, laquer, oils, or waxes.

The pros are K&G (www.knifeandgun.com/) (http://www.knifeandgun.com/)) and WSSI (www.stabilizedwood.com/). (http://www.stabilizedwood.com/).) Both have stabilized woods for sale, or they will stabilize your wood for about $12 per pound.