Wood Finishes for Knife Handles - Explained!

In this video, knife maker Walter Sorrells outlines various wood finishes frequently used by knife makers to finish the handles of their knives. Included is information about lacquer, shellac, polyurethane, water base, oil finishes and CA. Mostly theory. A video on the practical application of finishes will follow in a month or two.
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[@soufang]

This may sound weird, but I accidentally discovered that automotive polymer sealants leave a pretty nice finish. I was cleaning my just-sanded knife scale, and accidentally used my mixture of rubbing alcohol and polymer sealant. The alcohol evaporated but the sealant remained. The look I can describe is it was as if you just took a damp rag and wiped it down. It appeared damp and super colorful

[@mrblingworth]

Who the hell has this much knowledge about this subject??? Thanks bro.

[@fixedrider5912]

"Give yourself permission to fail". Priceless advice from a veteran of the craft. Thank you!

[@marksealy8102]

hi mr sorrells my name is mark sealy and i am a Blade smith who lives in Barbados and i am making knives right now because after watching u make knives and swords i got really inspired and i have learnt a lot from u as well so keep up the good work walter

[@richardharris5336]

Great summary! I was surprised you didn't specifically mention 'food safe' finishes, which I think is very useful for kitchen knife handles where they're getting constant use / cross over between food prep & with wet hands - you generally don't want any chemicals leaching out etc. For such handles I use either pure tung oil or walnut oil, built up usually in 6 layers. Then with a top coat of wax - again, pure wax (we have cosmetic grade), so no chemicals involved. I have to say though that the cure time with pure tung oil is very long when I've used it, but worth the wait. Household oils like olive are much more likely to go rancid - walnut oil is found at all supermarkets, so is perhaps the easier choice.

[@woodricks7019]

Richard, I am a big Walter fan and am new at this. sounds like you have a specialty with Kitchen knives. I buy the kitchen knife and handcraft the scales (food safe is important to me and my customers). I am not in the Cactus League with stabilizing yet, but will be using the Minwax Hardener technique for now. What is the cosmetic grade wax you use? I want my customers to be presented with a wonderful looking finish and be able to refresh it when the so choose to do. What would you suggest they refresh it with? Thanks, WoodRicks

[@BeaulieuTodd]

Food safe finishes are a sham. All modern finishes are food safe when cured. Biggest myth and waste of concern for hobbyist woodworkers.

[@bagsjr1]

Ive had great results with 1 coat of CA glue, then steel wool (ultra fine), clean well then 5 to 10 coats of tru oil. buff with pink no scratch. Amazing finish.

[@brandysigmon9066]

Behlen sells a product called "rock hard table top finish" it works great, its FDA approved for salad bowls and cutting boards. It makes a nice hard coat on knife handles.

[@rileyt3072]

My favorite wood finish for knife handles so far is Howard's feed & wax, it's a blend of orange oil and beeswax and looks great on walnut and other dark woods, and even lighter woods look good with it too.

[@caperr2]

I follow many knife making channels for entertainment. I come here for education. Thanks so much for making these tutorials. They have helped me so much.

[@1oddog]

I'm not a knife maker ,although I have replaced a few and am a wood turner. One of my favorites is a blended wax called " Salad bowl finish " from Lee Valley Tools. I apply copious amounts to the handle or bowl, set it on a cookie sheet in the oven on low to warm it up. It helps the wood soak up the wax, then polish warm. Another one I used for a machete ( strictly an outdoor tool) was Dubbin it's a boot water proofing wax. I used it on birdseye maple looked beautiful and lasted for quite a long time out in the elements.

[@culturetoronto]

so so grateful for this video... I had a arm-r-seal polyurethane topcoat which I hear is food safe which I've been using on my archery rings. However, the entire can hardened.. this video helped me think of some alternative options.

[@olivergrundtwormjensen9786]

i know you use the time you'd otherwise use to put your food on the table. Thanks a lot for your work here on KZbin Walter, i wouldn't make knives if you never tought me. greeting from The kingdom of Denmark :)

[@SnazzyZubloids]

Hey Walter, I just wanted to say thanks for the great tutorials and walk-throughs. I just finished my first knife build, and for a handle finish, surprisingly enough... I used some of my Ballistol gun cleaner/lubricant. The stuff is great for leather and wood waterproofing so I figured I couldn't go wrong. After allowing it to soak and cure for a while, I finished it off with 2 coats of polyurethane and in my humble opinion it looks great and will serve as an acid/oil/water resistant finish for many years to come. I suspect eventually there will be some outgassing that may render the finish bubbly and scratchy, but I'll deal with that when the time comes. Keep up the great work. Us amateurs and hobbyists are learning quite a bit from you.

[@jeremybrua5523]

I have used multiple coats of boiled linseed oil and a coat of lacquer to finish. I like the way the oil brings out the grain and the lacquer gives it a great shine. this finish works very well with curly maple.

[@aaron1540]

Oil varnish blends are a combo of both durability and shine. I'd suggest trying out Formby's Tung Oil Finish. Takes a couple coats but a little extra work goes a long way. It forms a beautiful finish that is protective and brings out the finish nicely.

[@trulsdirio]

I use stain on light wood that I texture with a Dremel to make something like Case Bone Stag just with wood. Carve, Stain and then just hit with a sanding block and you have a great effext! Like doing this on my Opinels or any knifes that are cheaper with simple wood. Great effect on a budget!

[@SugarMapleForge]

Hmm I might try this. I like that jigged look

[@trickmiller8169]

You forgot one aspect of linseed oil. In the higher temperatures the oil will bake out of the wood. I used BLO for refinishing an old mosin stock. It turned out nicely, but the hot days in the sun really brings the oil out.

[@jcknives4162]

You have done a great job. Thank you. As for Polyurethane, I do use the quick dry (that I rub and wipe until it's dry to the touch) but I don't sand. I use steel wool just to scratch the surface for the next layer so I don't get fisheye. Nice job again. Thanks!!

[@SugarMapleForge]

What grit steel wool do you use?

[@jcknives4162]

I like 3-0 and 4-0

[@dylanotto1824]

Thank you Walter! You helped my dad and I complete the knife kit we got for my birthday.

[@TheRealPapaBearChris]

Very timely video since I was coming to that point in my first knife and looking for what I should purchase as a finish.

[@jeremynovak6752]

I really like the look of 1 part beeswax to 4 parts linseed oil. It works really well with tight grain hardwoods like Hickory and Pecan. To really make the grain pop though you need to apply the finish, give it a few licks with the good ole Berzomatic just to the point where the wood starts to get darker. But dont hit it any more with the torch or the wood will burn. When the finish is still hot take a shop rag or paper towel and hand buff the finish. It goes a lot quicker than it sounds.

[@tigerpisces5506]

Formula sounds like the mixture Vincent Vangoh used to achieve his impasto think paint with transparency. I will try it out ty...

[@BernieFromTheInternet]

Keep in mind some super hard woods like Purple Heart can be buffed to a glossy surface with no other protecting agents (but they're still recommended)

[@Reploidx9]

I'm glad I ran into this comment. I actually have a pair of Purpleheart scales waiting to be used. Now I know.

[@fissh29]

Jeff and Joseph thanks...made 2 with snakewood so will try both...I am a painter for 30 years wanted to be sure of product from knife makers point of view...appreciate the help

[@daw162]

Separately, I see a lot of brushing lacquers claiming to be limited VOCs now. I wonder how those things will do compared to what is probably a lot like acetone in the nitro finishes. Agree on poly - lay it on thick in floors, but getting it hard enough to sand but not fully cross linked is a pain - it's too temperature sensitive and if you try to speed things up with heat and air, it can crosslink in hours and shed the next layer, leaving you working with only one current layer to sand and buff back to.

[@steveocvirek6671]

Thank you so very much for making this video. I am new to knife making and know nothing about the different finishes. This video really saves me days, hours, weeks of experimentation and money. Thank you so much for making it!!!

[@reachmedic9390]

thanks ... a wealth of knowledge.... the mechanism of action of the finish is vital in understanding what your doing or what went wrong... thanks again

[@Uncephalized]

Thanks for the rundown, Walter. My favorite all-purpose finish is actually extra virgin olive oil, followed by beeswax. Works very well on leather and wood both (the EVOO darkens leather a lot, which I tend to like). I usually soak the wood thoroughly between sandings as I go up in grit (for most hardwoods I do 3-4 passes from 80-400 grit). On the tighter-grained woods I use a little heat from my heat gun to encourage the oil to penetrate a bit. Then when the surface is where I I want it, I apply beeswax with the heat gun and a scrap of cloth, using just enough heat that the wax starts to wick into the grain, then wipe clean with a cloth while the wood is still warm. Finally after it's cooled I do another rubdown with a clean paper towel which takes off any wax flakes and gives it a nice soft sheen. I love the feel of a wax finish in the hand after a bit of break-in. :-)

[@randoprior4130]

Uncephalized I would love to see a picture of the knife that resulted from this! I've never heard of anything like that before and I am intrigued...

[@williamshaffer2617]

2/3 walnut oil 1/3 beeswax very durable and easy to apply rich finish and even works for polishing hard oily woods like rosewood

[@JohnKonrad]

For stabilized wood I love the results of 2 part polyurethane varnish. For unstabilized I also prefer this finish but I start with a layer of epoxy diluted with acetone which helps pull the coating into the pores and crevices. 2 part poly is a simply a clear version of the highend Awlgrip paint which is the type of paint used on high end super yachts but also has UV protection added. Even better, but harder to find and more expensive, is a 2 part acrylic varnish... which is a wood version of Imron paint which is what most ultra expensive cars- like Ferraris - are coated with. The varnish I use most often is Interlux Perfection Plus.

[@billmccaffrey1977]

I've used "Tried and True" Varnish Oil with great success. You get a deep hand rubbed oil finish that cures to a hard finish over time with a good bond between layers. A little goes a very long way.

[@przybyla420]

I like using shellac French polish style - very easy to apply and repair, totally non-toxic, and with moderate durability and fantastic luster. It's also fairly cheap and more environmentally friendly than many finishes. French polish is much more durable than brushed or wiped on shellac, do to the many overlapping layers (similar to a Abalone or mica).

[@knownaigm]

I've tried fussing around with a lot of different finishes and, as a user, I've come to realize one of my favorite finishes is to sand up to 400 grit, then jump to 3000 grit, then apply mineral oil and beeswax several times until it wont soak anymore in. The 400 grit then jump to 3000 grit means the handle will have a nice little subtle shine but also still have some grip when your hands are wet. The wax/oil finish lasts long enough, resists water decently, and is incredibly easy to reapply.

[@SugarMapleForge]

I use linseed oil and beeswax combo as well. Good results for me. I'll try that jump in grits. Never thought of that. I generally just sand up to 1000.

[@KimballPrecision]

@@SugarMapleForge I sand to 320, soak in a cup of BLO for an hour or two, hang to drop off, buff with 0000 steel wool while still wet. Wipe of so there’s no steel wool particles. Once it’s tacky, I put it in the oven at like 120, this makes the Birdseye maple pores open up and I can see air bubbles coming out of the handle when I open up there over door. I leave it in there for an hour. When I take it out the handle is nice and hot, I put more BLO on it, buff with 0000 again while it’s wet, wipe off particles again, put enough BLO on it to give it a wet surface, than let it hang to dry overnight. I put it back in the oven at 120 again and let it sit in there for a few hours until it’s dry. Buff with 0000 again and then use Renaissance wax as a final coat once the BLO is completely dry. I find this technique gets deep penetration and makes for a really protective finish. Gives it a decent sheen and still feels like wood rather than a polished piece of plastic.

[@texasstadium]

Thanks for the best treatise on the internet. The only other questions would be a recommendation of a non sanding wood cleaner and do any finishes have a negative effect on handle attachment.

[@JOEDHIGGINS]

French polished shellac. For a low wear finish, literally nothing looks better. It gives the perfect surface finish of a perfectly applied CA, without the potential crazing or the appearance of a plastic or glassy coating over the surface. It works magnificently on figured, high contrast woods, bringing out the grain and creating a perfect gloss finish. Moreover, instead of doing the whole process, a friction build finish (commonly used in woodturning) consisting of 1/3 BLO, 1/3 shellac, 1/3 denatured alcohol, varying the alcohol content as required to get the consistency you like has given me the same results as a traditional french polish, and is a lot easier to apply. Just a bit on a rag or paper towel and rub into the wood surface. While the finish will lose some gloss with wear, it isn't prone to flaking off like other build finishes ,wearing rather smoothly. It can be applied over penetrating oils, but outside of specific applications, I find it isn't required as the BLO in the finish will do the trick. I have used this on a number of high wear pieces. It doesn't gum up with water exposure (I often finish handmade safety razors this way. They see plenty of water). I generally put carnauba over the finish, adding a good layer of protection. I have used it on knife handles and the aforementioned razor handles, and it wears from a gloss to semi gloss. Best of all, it is fast. Multiple coats, the friction of polishing removes drying time. Can finish a knife handle in about 5 minutes after sanding. Finally, on dense/oily exotics, you can use a wax based polishing compound before application (wipe off thoroughly first), to get a really fine surface finish. I will often buff the piece with white diamond compound then apply carnauba after the application of the finish as well.

[@lathernhull5061]

the best finish as well as the most time consuming that I have discovered is an oil base stain covered by several coats of c.a. glue then sanded smooth with steel wool, then a spray on top coat of outdoor polyurethane. the c.a. glue will break down over time without a top coat protection. as an experiment, I've left two of my skinning knives outside in the weather for two and a half years and the finish still looks great.

[@wmcutlery54]

The tips and it's video have been very helpful to me as a knife maker but I mostly use synthetic handle scales .

[@geoffflato6065]

Being a full-time maker I'm probably fairly set in my ways, but I still do a variety of finishes depending on the wood and the purpose. open grain woods and leather spacers I often use CA glue as a sealer. Birchwood Casey tru oil is usually used for tight grained woods, and on stacked handles. A final coat of wax is normally put on most knives. Either a microcrystalline wax like I'd use for gun stocks, or usually a wheel on the pedestal buffer lightly treated with a bar of pure carnauba wax

[@jcknives4162]

I never thought of having a buffer with carnauba wax. Great idea. thanks!! I do use a lot of Renaissance (microcrystalline) wax.

[@geoffflato6065]

Jeff Conti Lee valley tools sells replacement carnauba wax sticks for their beall bowl buffing system. About $9 for a half pound stick. just put a regular loose sewn cotton buff on your machine, and lightly touch the wax to it. Don't want to load it up anything like buffing compound. The less the better. My 12" spiral sewn wheel has close to 1/8" of jacksonlea green compound built up on it, you can't even tell my wax wheel has anything

[@geoffflato6065]

Jeff Conti just checked out your channel a bit, I should really start making videos. Set up a fixture for the mill to taper tangs with a fly cutter, saves time like you wouldn't believe.

[@JOEDHIGGINS]

Agree totally about the carnauba. Any more than a light coating on the wheel, and the you end up with half of the wheel stuck to the piece you are trying to wax.

[@geoffflato6065]

I haven't managed to overdo the wax that much, but I've found your work will get a hazy layer on it that needs buffing off by hand with a cloth, long before you can see wax on the wheel gives a great shine though. My everyday carry is a fixed blade 3" bird and trout knife with a soldered brass guard and a Macassar ebony handle. light touch on the wheel every few months, and it still looks like new no matter how much I abuse it. Not gonna lie, I've scraped gaskets with it before. And its the sort of knife that'd sell for ~$400

[@ScrapwoodCity]

Awesome info, thanks for sharing!

[@kennethjesiah9946]

Instablaster.

[@TheDecoyDude]

I personally like mixing finishes. I will first wipe the wood down with acetone to get rid of the oil, then CA finish, sand most of it so that it fills the grain, next do an oil finish and perhaps finish it with paste wax. Very beautiful, durable, and fixable.

[@arklanuthoslin]

almost done with my first knife. guy at Rockler suggested a walnut oil finish. we shall see how it goes. i still have some sanding to do first though.

[@ootdega]

I used both penetrating stain finish and satin spray-on spar urethane on my rifle stock. First time I'd put a finish on wood, so I messed up a little in a couple places, but nobody else seems to notice them. Overall it looks fantastic. It's so hard and strong that you could probably use it as a baseball bat with no issues. I plan on sanding the messy parts down and re-applying the spar urethane sometime soon. I used most of it on the outside, but I also sprayed a bit inside the stock to prevent moisture retention. Don't put it back on the rifle until it's fully cured, though. At least not very tightly. The urethane tore some of the bluing off the barrel. It was already partially burnt off there (surplus rifle), but regardless. I looked up this video since I got some vintage kitchen knives I want to restore and future-proof (they really don't make them like they used to), and I guess I was already on the right track. Looks like urethane is probably the only finish that will survive the dishwasher.

[@leestacy9772]

Thanks for this video. I found a neglected folding Gerber Magnum Hunter on ebay and I am going to take a shot at giving it new scales. I am hoping to learn as much as I can before I start so I get an end result that I like, do it the right way and only do it once.

[@KS-gn9ro]

Excellent video, clear, concise, progressed smoothly and well summed up at the end. The information showed an understanding and knowledge of the craft and products and how they might turn out on a project. Thank you for the video.

[@lymanw.-nf8bw]

Thanks again I use tung had good results

[@bixby9797]

If I learned one thing from this video it's that people use super glue to finish wood. I never would have guessed that. For a working knife I use either Ballistol or Boiled Linseed which is what I use for axe, rake etc handles.

[@cottreda]

This was great. I can add a little experience to the CA finish option. For knives, I just wouldn't do it. It works pretty well for pieces turned on a lathe. That makes the application of it a little easier, but it is still labor intensive as hell.

[@chrisncolleen1]

Great Video. I am just learning knife making and I learn so much from your site.

[@robertadams8971]

Nice info, good review and tutorial. Making my first knife with typical walnut,cherry,& maple ribbon scale. This video helps me to decide how to finish.

[@treys424]

I polish the raw wood with a buffing wheel and polishing compound on most of my knives. It looks amazing on hedge wood (Osage Orange) and other really sense woods.

[@hepeteresen3178]

Never made a knife handle, but have used boiled linseed oil on my axe and shovel handles for years. Those handle as good a the day I bought them.

[@hogheadv2]

I like that you covered waxes, very often overlooked.

[@cassin11]

Well done! Very helpful. Thank you

[@FlyLan]

Food safe finishes for kitchen knives? Non toxic, non leeching, waterproof (or resistant) finishes for high grit (1k+) hand sanded wood handles. Alternately, what about multimedia hidden tang wood handles? Brass bolsters/butt caps and micarta/G10 liners alongside wood. Thanks in advance!

[@jessefrosland9273]

This is spot on I have tried all of these and wax and oils are definitely better for a working knife

[@davidekaterinahofstetter9144]

I watched the video, but I couldn't quite figure out what finish I should use on the handles I made for two Ulus. One is made from Zebrawood and the other is Padauk. I figured they would get wet a lot and be handled by wet handles

[@smashy152]

alot of people just use shellac as a basecoat as it helps blotchy woods soak up the finish easier, like if you where going to stain wood a shellac basecoat thinned down will make the stain apply alot more even and not have blotchy bits near nots etc.

[@ryanrb1985]

Have you ever tried equal parts tung oil or boiled lenseed oil, polyurethane, & mineral spirits? Thins out the poly to allow it to soak into the wood more. light sand between coats.

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

800 likes is a nice round number 😀but what's really nice is the knife at 10:30 - beautiful. It's shown a few times in the video and rightly so. Walter makes lovely knives, and great videos.

[@jamieharris7985]

Thanks for this video, could you cover stabilization of handle materials at some point please?

[@uncleknife9887]

Epic Ripping Belter Mate!

[@waltlars3687]

at our Woodworking club We had a chemist from Deft products come out to talk to Us about Finishes the subject of Food safe finishes came up was spray Polyurethane applied less than 48 hours apart 3 coats and let it sit for 14 days for 24 to 36 hours the poly is still soft and the next coat will stick to it after the 14 days waiting time it has completely off gasses and is then food safe that's the program I have used for anything near food

[@saboione]

Great video. Thanks Mr. Sorrels.

[@RAkers-tu1ey]

I also like thin, slow cure, (24 hour) epoxy. Same stuff I use to laminate bows, and make micarta. (Smooth-On) I use a short piece of pipe and dip the handles (carefully). Up side? tough , durable, thick, clear. Also, a bit too slick for some applications, but you can checker it if you have the patience. Down side? slow cure, hard to re-coat if you screw up, and wasteful if you don't plan to coat / laminate lots of stuff all at once. Yeah... likely not for everyone.

[@cultclassic999]

You make gorgeous knives. Those wood handles turned out awesome.

[@lelandwight8362]

Thanks for the great coaching and inspiration Walt. Ive learned a lot and made some nice looking k ifes after learning from you.

[@WallaceLivingFree]

good well balanced and informative Vid, Cheers Mate

[@Enderwiggan1]

What an excellent, well produced video! Im about to apply beeswax over 3 coats of linseed and hoping to get the a decent looking finish that's usable. Thank you very much

[@77trashman]

I have a 9 1/2 inch bliss skinner with a walnut handle. Would olive oil or beeswax work??

[@moondogknives8812]

That clears up a lot! Thanks Walter.

[@Digger927]

Another great and informative video Mr Sorrells, thank you very much!!

[@DopetheWind]

I make handle scales with Ipe. It's so oily and dense that it sinks (yeah, its THAT dense). I don't bother with finishes, just a ton of sanding.

[@CKKnifeandTool]

Walter, your intro sounds like your recording in the bathroom. Great info. video regarding all these. I am a Watco Danish Oil~ natural finish guy but was quite interested in the finishing wax option. Will have to get some and try out. Thanks.

[@biggles1024]

I thought the same thing wrt the sound. It came good for me around 1:40. :)

[@iamepimethus]

biggles1024 He's a busy guy! You mean to tell me you've never pooped.....or multi-tasked on the John?

[@CKKnifeandTool]

LMAO!!

[@WalterSorrellsBlades]

All my videos have audio separately recorded on a digital recorder. Except when I forget to turn it on. Then you get the crappy in-camera mic with all the reverberation from the room. Like I did here...

[@CKKnifeandTool]

Hey Walter.. we were all good with you "multi-tasking" ;) It's alright.

[@nickverbree]

Ever tried a 1:1:1 finish? I've had a lot of success with it in the furniture world, just equal parts mineral spirits, oil based polyurethane, and boiled linseed oil. Sets more quickly than oil by itself, and builds up, but not as heavy as poly by itself. Worth a shot?

[@paulthomas6537]

Sorry to be ignorant, but may I ask; 1:1:1 - are you mixing these together or doing each as a layer? Thank you.

[@Boz1211111]

Mix

[@paulthomas6537]

@@Boz1211111 Thank you!

[@josephsteffen2378]

That was informative and cool

[@stevensmith2246]

My great grandfather used to care a tin of bacon fat with him. He would use it on the blade and handle both on all his working knives. What are your thought on using oils such as animal fats, vegetable oil, and olive oil on knives?

[@nickkunz3393]

Osmo is great its water resistant drys hard. cost a fair bit and takes some effort to get a nice sheen. another thing to think about is where you use the knife. if its a kitchen knife use something that is either food safe like bees wax or somthing that seals and is water tight like osmo. you dont want tung oil leeching onto you hand and into raw food while you cook

[@ucuniversity2869]

Nice job

[@joshuavermillion]

Long time fan of your work here. My wife and I just caught you on the idiot box this evening! I have to say, the method of creation looked REALLY challenging. However, you made it look easy!!! We're proud of you from D.C. buddy. BTW...how might one request a custom piece?

[@maskytheproxy4329]

I just finished making my first forge this morning. I'm gonna try to make a rail way spike knife and add carbon to it with some tums. are there any tips I can get? I'd really appreciate it

[@polishavenger1]

Sorry, Masky, but you will not be able to 'add' carbon in any significant amount to make a difference in the hardenability of a railroad spike. During forging, you will be, in fact, losing more carbon than you will ever hope to introduce to the spike. Best thing to do is start with a steel that ALREADY has enough carbon to allow a durable edge.

[@brandysigmon9066]

Another great, informative video. I use micro-crystalline wax with great results.

[@Il_Bruno]

Hi Walter, very nice and useful video (as usual)! I usually use a combination of oil and wax... good tip about oil and lighter woods...

[@shopnwoods9901]

Great info. Thanks

[@lorenzobustos1723]

man you do everything I want to do in my life. knives, guns, guitars. I bet you have an awesome car and a few hundred acres of land too.

[@robertjay1179]

Excellent

[@Mark-jd1fr]

Those lines you see when sanding through poly urethane are called witness lines not fisheye. Fisheye is a problem with contamination of the surface frequently by silicones that causes the finish to form those circles.

[@chriswick21]

couldn't agree more :p

[@TheAlienPutter]

Excellent every time. Thanks!

[@kasparhartvedt8582]

In Norway its pretty hard to get your hands on pretty wood like walnut. So here stain is a good option :)

[@SharpWorks]

Oh I made quite a few safe-queen knives just to look pretty.

[@SharpWorks]

12345NoNamesLeft my bad I couldn't make it out if he said queen or clean. I never heard the term before now.

[@elund408]

Safe queen is more a firearm term, most collectors have safes, the queens are almost never brought out, just sit in there and go up in value.(hopefully)

[@BigThumpr1]

Eric L safe queens also refers to things that sit in a safe. Knives, jewelry, or something you keep in a safe. It's not more of a firearm term.

[@Britishshooter]

Extremely informative video. Thanks Walter!

[@manuelocampo9678]

hey I was told by local blade smith's here in TX to try precooked animal fats on oily woods but kinda scared to try. what is your opinion on this method? would also love to see methods on sanding knife handles for best grips BTW I really thought you were going to crowned a Forge and Fire Champion but that basket Damascus is hell on wheels in my book you helped me become a better novice blade smith soon and trying hard to become better just want to thank you for all your videos you rock

[@hogheadv2]

Manuel Ocampo Tallow mixed with Beeswax is an old time sealer used by the Blackpowder shooters. Wood, leather, patch lube, rust prevention. All the traditional old guys are dead and diy forgotten.

[@christopherneelyakagoattmo6078]

I use a combo of beeswax, mineral oil, and Everclear/moonshine. The high (180+) proof alcohol helps with penetration and dissolves some of the resin already present in the wood. That evaporates, the mineral oil and beeswax soak in, wipe off the excess, and polish. And it is foodsafe. Some of the old timers would heat up the wood over a candle first being careful not to scorch the surface. I have put knives in a 170-180 degree oven for ten minutes and there is a definite faster soak and drying time with the wax completely melting. It has been interesting to play with.

[@richardharris5336]

Manuel Ocampo animal fats sound a bit disgusting to be honest... I'd just use food safe oils if you want that sort of finish. Also, consider if it's for a customer, they might not like the finish from an ethical standpoint.

[@gorerilla]

soak in olive oil for 1 hour then let it dry for another hour, then buff some wax on it

[@joshman113]

I read that olive oil will go rancid over time

[@sloth0629]

i have tried a combination of ca and tung oil and have gotten decent results...

[@Zimmejay]

Super helpful as always Walter!

[@Devin_Stromgren]

One you may not have heard of. 50/50 mix of boiled linseed oil and Stockholm pine tar.

[@dragan3290]

Hi I just finished my first knife scales on a full restoration of A 30 year old bowie hunting knife. Used plywood because of strength. Original was plastic! ( hollow as well) ALCE brand. If I use polyurethane varnish? Is that the best for strength? I went overkill on the handle. Any reply appreciated cheers from Australia 🙂👍👍👍

[@Thetazord]

I wish I had a mentor like you to teach me bladesmithing. Specifically katana or Japanese style blades.

[@adrianotero7963]

What would you use for a bushcraft knife with olive handle ?

[@Iammightymeaty]

I've been very happy with teak oil.

[@Mr123jes]

L use bees wax. melt it down and then warm over the stove and rub in.But then again I use mostly oak and mesquite , and maybe flame the liter oak to stripe it.

[@knifeoholicsanonymous5488]

Awesome video, very informative