Amboyna wood care

[Roefisher]

Evening folks

I have two fixed blade knives with Amboyna handles. I have had a good close look today and they are the only wooden knives I have which are taking on a regular grey surface growth. One of the two knives, a little nordic scandi, seems to be affected worse than the other. Still, It is easily dusted off and doesn't seem to have done the material any harm

I was just wondering if this is common with Amboyna or is there anything I'd need to be careful off as I wouldn't want anything to spread to the other knives .... any ideas?

Mark

 

[Dave Barker]

Evening folks

I have two fixed blade knives with Amboyna handles. I have had a good close look today and they are the only wooden knives I have which are taking on a regular grey surface growth. One of the two knives, a little nordic scandi, seems to be affected worse than the other. Still, It is easily dusted off and doesn't seem to have done the material any harm

I was just wondering if this is common with Amboyna or is there anything I'd need to be careful off as I wouldn't want anything to spread to the other knives .... any ideas?

Mark

I work with amboina quite a lot.

I have seen this and after trial and error have found that this is mainly due to the wood not being fully oiled when it was finished.


Amboina is quite dense, and sometimes it can take a good week before it is saturated in oil. When it dries 8 especially if the last few sand papers were done only dry) there can become a fine dust that leaves the pores.

My advice would be to give it a good oiling. If you are unsure then mix the oil and some rot killer ( algae killer ) together.

Use the ration 3 of oil 1 of terps and one of killer. Either apply with a cloth then rebuff, or leave the knife in for a day or so, let it cure then rebufff.

Personally i don't like danish oil, but if thats what you have then thats what you hve.

You may wish to use soemthing like liberon finishing oil or the likes.

Hope that helps

 

[ggfh666]

Maybe I should get shares in CCL, but that's what I use on Maboyna. It seals the whole thing.

One of my oldest selfmade ones is amboyna and it still is as brown as it was on day 1.

I can't see that type of wood work well with oil, due to it's structure.

 

[addyb]

Dave,

I'm curious, what don't you like about Danish oil?

Adam

 

[Dave Barker]

Personally i think that Danish oil actually darkens wood too much.

It also gives a high gloss finish that is not the best in the world for wet hands.


I colour wood a lot, especially birch, and some of the colour jobs that take 40 or so hours to achieve have been ruined as soon as they go into Danish oil.


If you have a really light piece of wood then it may darken it enough to show the grain, but in my experience i find that it basically destroys the structure.

this is my experience and most others will tell you differently.

Personally i prefer Junkers rustic oil mixed with terps. If this fails i'll go for liberon Finishing oil in a 50/50 ration to terps. ( this oil also builds a high gloss)

If i ever use danish oil it is done when the knife is finished and already sealed. But seeing as Danish cures so damn fast i prefer not to bother.