Friends,
What is a good finish for the handles of gouges and chisels which are used often?
OK Boiled Linseed Oil. What about Watco? How does that compare?
What about Waterlox? Does that leave too much finish on the surface?
Thanks,
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
Replies
nothing
Joseph,
Great reply. But why does it take you so long to explain what you really mean? :-)
Thanks,
Mel
Measure your output in smiles per board foot.
I thought you would appreciate the brevity of my response.So much blathering on and on here, that it is nice to get a prompt and succinct answer to ones query every now and again.And in regards to your post, just let the oils from your hands provide the finish. It makes it easy to hold the tool when you are working up a sweat with all that chopping and carving to not have a slippery finish.Better?J.P.
just let the oils from your hands provide the finish
I don't think this would provide a very even or attractive finish.
BLO gives the wood some resistance to your sweat and once cured is pleasant to hold. It make sthe wood look nicer too.
After a while the wood will become polished from use.It just takes longer, and I think, looks just as well.The wood will still soil as well with an oil finish.J.P.
Each to their own.
Is there an advantage to not applying BLO or a thin wiping varnish like WATCO?
I find BLO helps significantly in helping the wooden parts of my tools, and my bench for that matter, shed moissture, glue, and dirt. It fills the pores and resists moisture. Why wait for my (more sweaty than oily usually btw) hands to impart these characteristics?
I soak my handles in BLO overnight. As you know, it doesn't harden inside there. I'd swear it reduces the modulus of the wood, making chisel handles hold up longer.
Adam
Adam,
I have used BLO in the past, and I like the results. I have just made a schultermesser, (shoulder knife). In past centuries, these long beasts have been used for making marquetry. However, I wanted to try one for making large "chip carvings" as the Swiss, Germans and Norwegians did on the facades of buildings. Since my house is brick, I'll only try to make some signs. Since the schultermesser has a 35" handle, I won't be able to let it soak in BLO overnight. My gallon is only about a foot high. :-) But it looks like BLO is the way to go.As you pointed out, it doesn't dry hard. That is why I mentioned Watco, which I believe has more driers added, but I am not sure. I was wondering if Watco would be better than BLO. I have used both in the past. Thanks for your help.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
Whether you use BLO or Watco (Watco is BLO w/ some alkyd varnish in it, isn't it? - not sure), but either way after you get done with that sort of finish - I love that Briwax product. Couple coats of wax, allowed to harden somewhat and rubbed out. I bought a can at Highland Hardware last time I was there, but they may have it at Woodcraft, too.I made a couple chisel handles out of ebony and all I needed to finish was the wax. Last chisel handle I did was made with the wood from Chinese Privet Hedge (sort of like boxwood) and I used BLO and wax.
Ed,
I have put one coat of BLO on my long knife handle. I will put a few more coats on. Then I will wax with Briwax. I have heard about it from a number of people, and all really like it. When I get a chance, I will try an experiment with some hardwoods. I don't have any ebony, but I have some rock maple. I'll get two pieces very smooth, then I'll put BLO, then Briwax on one, and just Briwax on the other, and see how they feel to me. I appreciate your advice.
Thank you.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
I think watco would be fine. I'm not sure you'll be able to notice a difference. I don't think any of those "drying oil wipe-ons" cure inside the wood. I think only the surface exposed to O2 dries. So Watco will probably behave very similarly with minimally more moisture barrier/water resistance. I finished my workbench with Watco and when I reflattened it years later, I could smell it afresh and oil came out of the exposed pores.Bob Flexner is THE guy to read for stuff like this if you haven't already. Adam
Adam,
Thank you. My experience with Watco is the same as yours - not much different than BLO. I like the feel of a handle done with BLO, and I didn't find anything here today to contradict that, so that's the way I'll go. I'll finish my long handled knife off with a coat of Briwax, as Ed suggested. I started practicing with the Schultermesser tonight. I made a large A and B in a scrap piece of pine. Then I proceeded to apply what I do with a hand-sized carving knife to the shoulder knife. It will take a while to learn how to control it well. I appreciate the advice. I am familiar with Flexner's work. He's a good writer.
Thank you.
MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled