Refinishing Tool/Knife Handles

[Ironworker]

Handle is olive wood from Spain. First coat was tung oil a couple of years ago and I put some boiled linseed oil yesterday and buffed it out.

 

[svk]

Very nice.

 

[pweber]

If you're gung-ho to restore the patina, keep them in the sunlight. Sunlight helps to darken the finish.

 

[7sleeper]

@svk ,

Sorry but the applied oil will never last long with regular dishwasher use. But you can report back how it held up.

7

 

[buzz sawyer]

I frequently use Watco Danish oil for most wood finishes - handles, furniture, cutting boards. It's basically tung oil and is food safe in 30 days. I'll put on a couple coats, let it cure a few days, then wet-sand another coat and let the paste set a day or so before wiping. The sanded wood fibers can fill some of the grain.

 

[svk]

@svk ,

Sorry but the applied oil will never last long with regular dishwasher use. But you can report back how it held up.

7

I should clarify; this batch of knives are from my hunting cabin and are about 40 years old. No dishwasher up there.

I have another set at home that are about 12 years old and are white as a sun bleached bone from being dishwashed. If I sand them and treat, even doing it a couple of times a year going forward will keep them a lot better.

 

[7sleeper]

For tool grips like an outdoor axe I sometimes even use new engine oil. Since I about always wear gloves I am not worried about contamination. And as soon as the oil has been absorbed there is not much to worry anymore.

7

 

[CentaurG2]

Running a knife through a dishwasher is very hard on both the handle and the blade edge. If you are going to continue to wash them in the dishwasher, I would not bother to treat the handles at all. Wood, treated or untreated has relatively good antibacterial properties. Hand washing wood works very well and reduce the number of times you will need to sharpen your knives. I have found that ax handles are best protected with pine pitch. It protects well and gives a great grip.