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Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: northland archer on March 07, 2008, 08:38:00 AM
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I am back to making sharp things again but have never used natural wood before. What is the best finish for a natural wood handle?
Second question: When putting a first time edge on a knife made from a saw blade, what is the best way to keep the edge centered? Thanks for any help you can give.
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I can't answer the edge question but I use either lacquer or tung oil for the finishes on my handles.
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Birchwood Casey Tru Oil looks real nice on wood. For the edge you could try to draw a line down the center but eyeballing it is probably easier. Maybe some of the real knifemakers have a better answer, so now I will just sit back and shut up :)
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I'm not a "real knifemaker" but I eyeballed mine and it came out centered enough that I cant see any offset.......I used polimerized tung oil to finish although the handle as seen in my post isnt rubbed out yet. They said to let it dry 8-24 hrs then rub it out with fine steel wool. It has a velvety sheen now that I have it finished.
Scott
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I've always liked Tru Oil for most of my wood handles. Although woods like cocobolo have so much oil already I sometimes only finish with very find sanding/polishing. Use superglue to fill any pin holes or cracks. I know some guys like to soak their wood with epoxy. As far as the edge I use my eye. Bought a lansky sharpener when I was young and used to use it to check my process, don't use it anymore. Easy enough to just eye it out.
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tru oil all the way.