How to best finish a knife handle and leather sheath?

[Aleks]

Hi guys!
Need a bit of advice here..
I´m a tad lost on how to actually finish off the sheath and knife i made the other day...
Lets start with the handle...i want a waterproof and shiny look, so i´ve been thinking about using beeswax on the handle. It has already got 4 coats of danish oil and been buffed, but i can´t get that mirror finish i want, any advice?

The sheath then, the leather has been soaked, shaped and dried in the oven at 50 degrees celcius for about 1,5h, nothing else.
I´ve found something called Renaissance wax, will that work or is beeswax an alternative? won´t that deform the sheath when heated up?

 

[redandshane]

For the handle get some of the very cheap clear runny super glue smear it on the handle using a latex glove then work up through the grits should give finish like glass
Someone will be along shortly to advise on the sheath

 

[sasquatch]

You can just hand sand the handle up to 1000 grit then buff again with a bit of compound, you should get a glass like finish from that. If you want a shiney sheath you can use neutral shoe polish...hope this helps!

 

[Aleks]

Redandshane - Seems a bit destructive on the wood, to use superglue?

 

[sasquatch]

Cheap runny CA glue is great for filling cracks and similar, some people use it on razor scales for shiny finishes. It works great but is messy work. Hand sanding a knife through the grits then buffing is quicker and easier in my opinion. If you post knife related stuff in the Edged Tool section you'll get a lot more knifey loving traffic and help!

 

[Aleks]

Ok! great to know!
I´ll immediately do so. I posted the thread here because i thought this was the right section

 

[Tjurved]

I like the beeswax and linseed oil finishes. But I've never got a mirror finnish and for me that is not my goal. A mirror finnish would look unnatural and kinda plastic.

 

[brancho]

Show us what your knife looks like so far so can offer specific help.

I soak my handle in Danish oil and buff while drying.

 

[Aleks]

Here you go!
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84278

 

[brancho]

Its too late for the superglue route now as you waxed the wood but have seen some nice knives finished like that.
I am not sure how to get that to have the kind shine you are after with that course grain.

 

[Aleks]

Ok, so maybe i´ll just have to settle on the look it has now...
Just wondering, would beeswax or any other wax product like Reinassance wax improve the look or spoil it?

 

[mrcairney]

Can you still find Bo Bergson's book over there relatively easily? For me it's a bible of knowledge on knife making.

Also, check out this video. It's very long, but you should find it interesting and there's a good chunk of it regarding finishing the sheath

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIOGDykXJFQ&list=FLiOthoYaC_8zzXTffdCJ6Lg&index=2&feature=plpp_video

 

[Aleks]

mrcainey - Do you mean Bo Bergman?
Thank you very much! will absolutely have a look at it!

 

[mrcairney]

I did! The book is next to me as I type, can't believe I got his name wrong

 

[brancho]

Just wondering, would beeswax or any other wax product like Reinassance wax improve the look or spoil it?

which part the handle or the sheath

THIS is supposed to be good for knife handles

 

[Aleks]

mrcainey - He´s a swede, i´m a swede, i know that swedish names are hard to spell sometimes especially after a couple of malts down the throat unfortunately it´s not avaliable anymore, but i think i can find it at the local library!

branco - well...both
Ok, i´ll have to check that out.

 

[wildranger]

Why don't you try burnishing the handle to give it a shiny finish?

 

[Aleks]

How do i do that? the same way as with the sheath?