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- Jan 26, 2002
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Wooden handle oil finish
I know this has been discussed endlessly, and I'm sorry for bringing it up yet again, but things don't all seem to be in one place and I wanted to see if I really get the whole picture before continuing further. My current understanding for uncarved wooden handles is:
*Phase 1: Sand down wood to smooth handle and remove rouge. Gently clean grooves with toothpick, folded sandpaper or jewelers file. Apply thin coat of tung oil [be careful you don't buy pure tung oil like I almost did...it won't dry unless you add drying agents yourself. I thank the guy at the checkout for asking if I really wanted pure oil!!]. This softens remaining rouge and more can be removed using steel wool with the grain while the oil is wet. [I found the steel wool particles getting in the pores so I brushed lightly with a fine wire brush with the grain to remove them. Wipe off with a cloth or brown paper bag, and repeat until all particles are gone.] Let remaining thin layer of oil dry overnight. Repeat sanding with paper, apply oil, use steel wool, brush out grain, wipe off oil, let dry. Maybe 3-4 times, or until lots of rouge stops coming out. Here you are trying to open the grain to get the loose rouge out. Initially, gentle use of 320 paper worked best for me, finer plugs up too fast. After lots of rouge stops coming up, go to 400 or 600 paper.
*Phase 2: Now you want to begin to fill the pores and grain in the wood. Sand across the grain with 400 or 600 grit and apply a thin coat of oil, and wipe with paper while wet to pick up more rouge and excess oil. Leaving too much oil will only clog the sandpaper later. Allow oil to fully dry, repeat until???
This is where I am now.
Do I continue Phase 2 until the pores and grain are filled? Is a fine sawdust-oil composite filling the grain, or do I want to remove all the sawdust from pores (tackcloth?) and let pure oil fill? Applying the oil with paper towels seems to remove sawdust, brown paper or finger doesn't. Any estimate of how many cycles this wil take? I am kinda afraid to use steel wool again until the grain fills; I'm afraid tiny pieces will get in the grain, and brushing them out will reverse the filling process.
I've not used any Armor-all yet, I presume that its not really useful until Phase 2 and might hinder getting the rouge out? Is the Armor-all an option for a harder, shinier finish, or essential to close up the grain?
What I think Phase 3 is:
*Phase 3: The goal here is to lay down a hard, many layered finish over a handle essentially free of rouge, with filled pores. Sand with the grain, using worn 400 grit or 600 paper, finishing with 0000 steel wool. Wipe off any sawdust and apply a very thin coat of oil. While oil is wet apply the tinest bit of Armor-all to the finger, and with a polishing motion rub into the entire handle. Let thoroughly dry. After a couple coats only the steel wool is used. Repeat until:
1) You can't stand it anymore.
2) A uniform, glassy finish is achieved.
3) You are insane.
In instance 1 or 2, finish with a final coat of oil/Armor-all, let dry, and do not sand the last coat to retain gloss. A few coats ofpaste wax will add to the durablity of the finish. In the case of instance 3 try to give the tung oil and wax to a friend or loved-one for safe-keeping. They are bad to sniff, eat or drink; you will very much regret their ingestion if you do regain your sanity.
Comments, corrections and advice from Journeyman Woodchucks or the Master Frog himself are very much appreciated.
A beginning Woodchuck Apprentice ( Just-Hatched Tadpole, level 0)
I know this has been discussed endlessly, and I'm sorry for bringing it up yet again, but things don't all seem to be in one place and I wanted to see if I really get the whole picture before continuing further. My current understanding for uncarved wooden handles is:
*Phase 1: Sand down wood to smooth handle and remove rouge. Gently clean grooves with toothpick, folded sandpaper or jewelers file. Apply thin coat of tung oil [be careful you don't buy pure tung oil like I almost did...it won't dry unless you add drying agents yourself. I thank the guy at the checkout for asking if I really wanted pure oil!!]. This softens remaining rouge and more can be removed using steel wool with the grain while the oil is wet. [I found the steel wool particles getting in the pores so I brushed lightly with a fine wire brush with the grain to remove them. Wipe off with a cloth or brown paper bag, and repeat until all particles are gone.] Let remaining thin layer of oil dry overnight. Repeat sanding with paper, apply oil, use steel wool, brush out grain, wipe off oil, let dry. Maybe 3-4 times, or until lots of rouge stops coming out. Here you are trying to open the grain to get the loose rouge out. Initially, gentle use of 320 paper worked best for me, finer plugs up too fast. After lots of rouge stops coming up, go to 400 or 600 paper.
*Phase 2: Now you want to begin to fill the pores and grain in the wood. Sand across the grain with 400 or 600 grit and apply a thin coat of oil, and wipe with paper while wet to pick up more rouge and excess oil. Leaving too much oil will only clog the sandpaper later. Allow oil to fully dry, repeat until???
This is where I am now.
Do I continue Phase 2 until the pores and grain are filled? Is a fine sawdust-oil composite filling the grain, or do I want to remove all the sawdust from pores (tackcloth?) and let pure oil fill? Applying the oil with paper towels seems to remove sawdust, brown paper or finger doesn't. Any estimate of how many cycles this wil take? I am kinda afraid to use steel wool again until the grain fills; I'm afraid tiny pieces will get in the grain, and brushing them out will reverse the filling process.
I've not used any Armor-all yet, I presume that its not really useful until Phase 2 and might hinder getting the rouge out? Is the Armor-all an option for a harder, shinier finish, or essential to close up the grain?
What I think Phase 3 is:
*Phase 3: The goal here is to lay down a hard, many layered finish over a handle essentially free of rouge, with filled pores. Sand with the grain, using worn 400 grit or 600 paper, finishing with 0000 steel wool. Wipe off any sawdust and apply a very thin coat of oil. While oil is wet apply the tinest bit of Armor-all to the finger, and with a polishing motion rub into the entire handle. Let thoroughly dry. After a couple coats only the steel wool is used. Repeat until:
1) You can't stand it anymore.
2) A uniform, glassy finish is achieved.
3) You are insane.
In instance 1 or 2, finish with a final coat of oil/Armor-all, let dry, and do not sand the last coat to retain gloss. A few coats ofpaste wax will add to the durablity of the finish. In the case of instance 3 try to give the tung oil and wax to a friend or loved-one for safe-keeping. They are bad to sniff, eat or drink; you will very much regret their ingestion if you do regain your sanity.
Comments, corrections and advice from Journeyman Woodchucks or the Master Frog himself are very much appreciated.
A beginning Woodchuck Apprentice ( Just-Hatched Tadpole, level 0)