Knife/Machete Handle Preservative?

[FlashPan]

Hello peoples

I've now a few different knives/machetes with pine/wooden handles.

I've never treated them with anything and am about to start some work on them ie: sanding down and shaping to meet the metal part of the tang.

Some are cheaper units and some although others would not think expensive I've a couple of John Nowill survival knives and Martindales no/2 Goloks. So obviously I don't want to screw this up

Can anyone please advise what type of oil or whatever would be good to brush/soak the handles with? After this I am also thinking of using a bike inner tube to cover the handle as well.

Thanks and cheers as always

 

[Mesquite]

Boiled linseed oil

 

[KenThis]

I'm a fan of tung oil, but it's more expensive and takes longer to dry.

Danish oil is also good and slightly darker.

 

[Leshy]

I'm a fan of tung oil, but it's more expensive and takes longer to dry.

Danish oil is also good and slightly darker.

I'm pretty sure Danish oil is just tung oil diluted in spirits....
Both very good.
Boiled linseed oil is great too

 

[Janne]

Linseed oil.
Covering the handle with a piece of inner tube seems a bit anal?

 

[Shelley]

The martindale golok has a European beech handle, certainly not pine, I sanded mine down and filled in the rivets with epoxy, then once it had no more sharp edges I used boiled linseed, works well, drinks a bit though, best to immerse it and leave it for a week, after that it will be good for about a year, then it will need doing agin, also once it's had is bath, and it's still wet give it a sand with wet n dry sandpaper, this will get rid of the raised grain from the oil and make it smooth again, remeber that wood handles will swell and contract with the weather and inclement humidity, so you may need to do the sanding several times during the year until it feels just right, mine moves a little between summer and winter, even after several years.
Wouldn't bother with inner tube, if you want a rubber handle get a gerber...

 

[Draven]

I like a pine tar/linseed oil mix for everything now, personally. I live in the desert atm and linseed oil alone isn't enough to prevent axe handles shrinking and getting loose. Great for preventing rot in wet climates also. As for inner tube, I don't know why there's a big fascination these days with ultra-grippy handles but I hate them. I've tried, because I do so terribly want to be cool, but I just can't I do have a bit of inner tube around the butt of my machete handle, but that's because it doesn't have any kind of lug to stop it flying out of my hand and the inner tube helps.

 

[Janne]

You can cut grooves on the handle.

 

[Robson Valley]

Do nothing. The oils from your hands will seal the wood over years of use and that look of stain and activity is unmistakable to anyone.
You been there, you done that. . . . . . Period.
Skip the rubber. When does an axe handle need a condom?

Handle size. You got that right? Swinging all day as I do with adzes for wood carving, the diameter of the handle
must meet the Kestrel Constant so you never cramp up and stay relaxed.
Palm up, hold the tool handle.
The tips of your second and third fingers should just touch the fat ball part of your thumb.
I have big hands and long fingers. 1" is almost too big, 7/8" is great and 3/4" is on the skinny side.
When I got this figured out, the small differences in diameter were quite a surprise.

 

[C_Claycomb]

If you use a tool a lot I can imagine that your hands may impart enough oil to the wood. If you don't use it often, the wood stared off bare, and it gets wet sometimes, I don't believe you will ever get enough oil into it just from your hands. Hence the wide use of oil for treating tool handles.

I have read that boiled linseed is not a good water barrier compared to some other finishes. I don't know, but I do know that without thinning and additional driers I have been dissatisfied with how it has performed in application. One of the old process instructions describes oiling daily, weekly, monthly and so on to maintain. I have found that the thinners, driers and resins in Danish oil make for easier and more efficient application as well as longer life in the sort of occasional use that I put my tools to (I am not swinging my axe every day, more like once every month or so). For smaller handles I am a big fan of soaking for 24 hours in Danish oil. It doesn't do chatoyancy any good, but penetrates well then hardens to a good protective layer within the wood, not just on the surface. If you apply it with a rag and let it dry, that layer forms on the surface and makes getting further treatment into the wood tricky.

 

[Tonyuk]

I soak my wooden handle tools in teak oil for a day every couple of months. Haven't had an issue yet,

Tonyuk

 

[John Fenna]

I use a blend - approx 50/50 - of Teak and Danish oils ...

 

[Dark Horse Dave]

This article by Robin Wood may be of interest.

 

[FlashPan]

Thanks all for the info. As ever much to dwell upon

One reason I was thinking of using the rubber tube was as a sort of extra guard/water repeller but mainly I thought better for extra grip if used/held when using gloves in the winter time as well of course for grip with bare hands.

I do like the idea of soaking for 24 hours or more for the penetration factor.....what the heck is chatoyancy? A native American Indian with a penchant for talking a lot?

I have noticed that on 1 of my goloks I have a small gap between the metal tang and the inner part of the handle. It's not huge but a few cm long. Advised or not to fill that in with "something"?

Cheers me dears

 

[KenThis]

You could always rub in a bit of beeswax to improve grip...

 

[xqtr]

A few layers of molten beeswax I think is enough. After, wipe excess wax with a clean cloth.

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