The London Finish

[timtom1]

I was recently in Norway with Bushcraft Expeditions and one of the topics covered was The London Finish I was just wondering has anybody got anymore details of how to do this to an Axe Handle?

 

[litefoot]

Look up Lupus on the members list and drop him a pm,he is as good as anyone when it comes to the finishing of wood projects.
Hope that helps Litefoot.

 

[timtom1]

thanks alot

 

[Labrador]

I think you'll find the "London finish" refers to the traditional way the stocks on best London guns such as Boss &Co. & Holland & Holland were finished. You can get kits from a firm called Napier to re-finish gun stocks (& therefore anything else such as knife scales etc).
Hope this is of some use!

 

[TheGreenMan]

Excellent post, Labrador. Much obligded to you.

Cheers,
Paul.

 

[timtom1]

Brill thanks found the link here

http://www.napieruk.com/stockcare.html#care3

:You_Rock_

 

[lupus]

hi timtom1
the London finish looks really good on guns but i think it will be far to smooth for an Axe Handel, its likely to fly out your hand when you use it

 

[C_Claycomb]

I spoke with a London gun maker and they used a mix of linseed, beeswax and terebene. I combined that mix with informaiton from this site
http://www.wwch.org/Technique/Finishes/OilFin.htm
and tried it on a walnut knife handle. It isn't totally finished, but is looking good. I did a search on the net for oil finishes and came across "London Finish" in a couple of places, but I think that the above link covers the process better than most.

The result is smooth, but I dion't know what it would be like in the wet. For an axe I don't think I would go to all that trouble.

 

[Labrador]

Happy to oblige!