Anybody know the best way to renew wood knife handles?

[coolconnection]

When my wood knife handles dry out I just wipe them down with some vegetable oil. Been doing that for years. It is a clean cheap food grade oil and I had a teacher in my industrial arts class teach us that years ago. It works great.

 

[vic4news]

You can use boiled linseed oil, tung oil, minerial oil, walnut oil, etc. You don't have to worry about food grade oil since the knife handles don't really have food contact like a bowl or dish would.

Vic

 

[crash325]

Linseed oil can be thinned with most anything handy. Paint thinner, alcohol, or turpentine.

Here is a good link on wood finishing.
Classic Finishing Techniques

 

[forgeblast]

... vegetable oil....I would not use this it can go rancid and they you are touching this with your food or touching your food after using them. You can use hazelnut/walnut oil but mineral oil is going to be one of the safest and least expensive.
If you want more of a gloss you can buy a http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5344 salad bowl finish but its almost $20 a pint where I spent 2.50 on mineral oil.
I sell spoons, bowls and cups that I carve and I use mineral oil on them since there are studies out there showing its effectiveness, its food safe, and its something that when it wears off you can purchase at any store to restore to the original look.
From Mineral oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Because of its properties that prevent water absorption, combined with its lack of flavor and odor, food grade mineral oil is a popular preservative for wooden cutting boards, salad bowls and utensils. Rubbing a small amount of mineral oil into a wooden kitchen item periodically will prevent absorption of food odors and ease cleaning, as well as maintain the integrity of the wood, which is otherwise subjected to repeated wetting and drying in the course of use. The oil fills small surface cracks that may otherwise harbor bacteria.[12]12.^ Barbara Ingham (October 2007). "Care and Cleaning of Butcher Blocks and Wooden Cutting Boards". Food Safety & Health. University of Wisconsin–Madison. http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/asse... Butcher Blocks and Wooden Cutting Boards.pdf. Retrieved 2009-07-12.

 

[PILOON]

That's very interesting Crash. I had always thought linseed and cottonseed were about the same. But they are not.

When you thin down your linseed oil, what do you use Piloon? Mineral spirits?

Mineral spirits = slow dry, lacquer thinner= fast dry.
Slow dry = deeper penetration
Fastest and most durable finish I added an artists product called Japan Drier: this on knives and gun stocks.
Now if you wanted to be real slow dry you'd use heating oil, but phew, stinks.
Boiled linseed oil has some driers incorporated, that or boiling simply thickens the product.

( I was an art supply sales rep and my uncle was a commercial artist, hence my knowledge source)

More recently I have been using a commercial product called DANISH OIL that combines all the features we want for natural finishes.
They generally offer pre-tinted as well as natural finishes.
Using a sponge, I wipe it on walls as a low gloss sealer,finish. Since using a sponge (which you can wring clean) you don't even need to clean off saw dust etc and it preserves tha natural wood look.
On floors folks simply mop on even coats and let dry. More coats= longer lasting finish, but to note on floors you'll never get a high gloss but rather just a darn good sealed floor finish. Kinda rustic 'tavern' look.(but low maintenance)

 

[ncnurseryman]

I just made a hidden tang file knife using birds eye maple and I applied danish oil. I have never used it before but it made the wood look nice. Don't know how it holds up to the elements. Will have to test it.

 

[JDgreen227]

I just made a hidden tang file knife using birds eye maple and I applied danish oil. I have never used it before but it made the wood look nice. Don't know how it holds up to the elements. Will have to test it.

I have always thought the term "elements" was applied to outdoor weathering factors: Sun, rain, snow, temperature swings, humidity, etc. Looked it up in Websters and was amazed at how many different ways it defined "element".

 

[cqaigy2]

Didn't read all the post and don't know about finishing materials, but i knew someone that would take smallish wooden pieces and put them in vacuum for a day or two, then drop the wood piece into some finish and it would suck it up into the wooden piece. He'd polish them and they would have this beautiful deep glossy finish.

 

[JDgreen227]

You got a great deal on the knife set......that mineral oil will make em look new......have fun! Send us an "after" picture.:thumbsup:

Finally remembered I was supposed to post an "after" picture...I ended up using mineral oil, I did price that special oil sold for salad bowls, etc. and it was something like $13 for 4 ounces...I soaked the handles in a jar of the oil overnight and it didn't change the color much but the wood looks a lot better. Thanks to everyone who gave me the tips.