dirty handles?

[dorkingbushcraft]

its a bit of a dim question, but how do you clean wooden handles of mud, dirt etc. i can never get all the dirt off
thanks joshua

 

[launditch1]

I just brush the worst off and let it build up its own patina.

 

[robevs73]

If the handle had been treated well in the first place this would not happen. This I know from experience!

 

[leaf man]

If the handle had been treated well in the first place this would not happen. This I know from experience!

for those of us who are not so perfect...

i use an old well used nail scrubbing brush and dry brush it off. i like to use a wax/oil mix afterward to re-seal the wood. simples

 

[durulz]

Wipe the worst of it off with a damp cloth and let the rest of it get ground into the handle for colour and character.

 

[robin wood]

I remember reading some celebs recollections of childhood once who said "we knew we weren't real country people because we washed our wellies when we got home."

Have working tools for working and polishing tools for polishing.

 

[tombear]

If it don't wipe off live with it.

Prevention is better than any cure so I take the advice a very senior armourer once gave me and soak all woodwork in a bath of linseed oil for 24 hours, preferably some where warm. I have a big old SRD rum jar that's full of all the dregs of various linseed, tung and teak oil I find that I keep just for soaking. Short of varnishing, which in my mind is a no no, it's the best way of preserving tool handles, especially if they are in storage or somewhere where they may dry out and crack. Once or twice a year I wipe them down with a rag with tung oil on.

For chisel and file handles old Horlicks mixing jars are perfect, you see them on car boots, tall, thin, bottom heavy glass pots.

ATB

Tom

 

[TJRoots]

if the dirt is really stubborn and you really want to get it looking new again you can use some fine wet or dry to bring it all back to bare wood then oil it (ands wax it if you like) to get it all shiny again.
not something i'd particularly care to do but im not very fussy about how my tools look, if you are fussy and nothing else seems to be working thats always an option.

 

[dorkingbushcraft]

thanks for helping,
it was for a knife i use to use till the tip broke off but want to clean it up to show as example

 

[Madpuppy]

Something small like a knife goes in the dishwasher at my house, bigger stuff I take to the carwash or break out the power washer. As far as robevs73 saying not to get it dirty by treating it with kids gloves, I use my tools and equipment and they get dirty. It's not fine china, it's tools and they get dirty

 

[Matt.S]

That's not dirt, it's character.

(Unfortunately this approach rarely works when applied to personal hygene.)

 

[ForgeCorvus]

That's not dirt, it's character.

(Unfortunately this approach rarely works when applied to personal hygene.)

Thankfully this is the internetz, otherwise I'd be able to smell your 'character' from here

 

[Matt.S]

Thankfully this is the internetz, otherwise I'd be able to smell your 'character' from here

Don't know what the problem is, I go through the sheep-dip every year, whether I need it or not.

 

[badgeringtim]

I remember reading some celebs recollections of childhood once who said "we knew we weren't real country people because we washed our wellies when we got home."

Have working tools for working and polishing tools for polishing.

har har - i like that one