Best way to finish ebony

on_the_edge

on_the_edge

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I have read that there are several available options to finish ebony with satisfactory results--everything from simply sanding to a very high grit finish to several thin coats of tung oil followed by minwax paste to artist grade un-boiled linseed oil and 0000 steel wool. My question is what have folks here who have used ebony found to be the best way to finish ebony wood handles on a knife? I am of course interested in the ebony looking great (polished), but am mostly interested in the resilience and ease of maintenance of the finish. After all, the knife is a tool and it will be used often.
 
on_the_edge said:
I have read that there are several available options to finish ebony with satisfactory results--everything from simply sanding to a very high grit finish to several thin coats of tung oil followed by minwax paste to artist grade un-boiled linseed oil and 0000 steel wool. My question is what have folks here who have used ebony found to be the best way to finish ebony wood handles on a knife? I am of course interested in the ebony looking great (polished), but am mostly interested in the resilience and ease of maintenance of the finish. After all, the knife is a tool and it will be used often.
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Slowly. Ebony has an ultra fine grain, but if it is over heated can crack. Its been called black ivory. This is how I finish my handles.

Belt sand rough shape at 60 grit.
Refine shape at 80
clean up at 120

Switch to Jflex belts at 120
Jflex 320
Jflex 400
Jflex 600

Hand sand at 400 "Yes i know its jumping down in grit but it REALLY sucks to see you missed a spot"
Hand sand 600
Hand sand 800
Hand sand 1000

Take to the buffing wheel
Soft buff with brown compound
Soft buff with Blue moon compound "improved pink scratchless"

Hand buff with a soft cloth and some wax
 
on_the_edge said:
I have read that there are several available options to finish ebony with satisfactory results--everything from simply sanding to a very high grit finish to several thin coats of tung oil followed by minwax paste to artist grade un-boiled linseed oil and 0000 steel wool. My question is what have folks here who have used ebony found to be the best way to finish ebony wood handles on a knife? I am of course interested in the ebony looking great (polished), but am mostly interested in the resilience and ease of maintenance of the finish. After all, the knife is a tool and it will be used often.
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You might look at : Sam Maloof Poly / Oil finish
You can buy it pre made or mix it your self.
It has a fair amount of tung oil in it.
I mix mine. It is what is in / on (it is considered and "in the wood" finish) this little table.
It leaves the wood looking natural but better than just dry and it is pretty darned stain and moisture resistant. It is super easy to add new coats. There is a wax based "polish" to be used with the finish.

Good stuff.

I think probably your best bet though (as I say for all wood knife handle questions) is to look for epoxy stabilized ebony where they inject super thin epoxy into the wood under pressure over time while it is raw wood. Then cut and shape the "material" into your knife handle.
PS : I am looking for a YouTube by Sam so he can tell you about his finish. Brilliant man. Not a traditional woodworker by a long jot. Always thinking independently and out side the box.
One of my heroes. RIP Sam !
IMG_4409.JPG
 
Well I ran across this. Nothing to do with the finish but interesting. Remember the Thomas Crown Affair movie. Yeah . . . she's hot. Sam built for the best. Shame the vid quality is so bad.
 
Wowbagger said:
You might look at : Sam Maloof Poly / Oil finish
You can buy it pre made or mix it your self.
It has a fair amount of tung oil in it.
I mix mine. It is what is in / on (it is considered and "in the wood" finish) this little table.
It leaves the wood looking natural but better than just dry and it is pretty darned stain and moisture resistant. It is super easy to add new coats. There is a wax based "polish" to be used with the finish.

Good stuff.

I think probably your best bet though (as I say for all wood knife handle questions) is to look for epoxy stabilized ebony where they inject super thin epoxy into the wood under pressure over time while it is raw wood. Then cut and shape the "material" into your knife handle.
PS : I am looking for a YouTube by Sam so he can tell you about his finish. Brilliant man. Not a traditional woodworker by a long jot. Always thinking independently and out side the box.
One of my heroes. RIP Sam !
View attachment 832333
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I would not advise this. A poly finish is a poor choice for a knife handle, ebony in particular. AS a curing finish on an oily wood, the poly will not cure properly and will remain sticky and may weep. Epoxy can not be forced in the same way resin can be, as the epoxy is self reactive and will cure on its own while the stabilizing resin is heat cured.

Epoxy stabilizing does not work. As I explained in a different post, the penetration is just so shallow as to not be worth considering. Ebony can be stabilized professionally by K&G using their thin solution. It works quite well.
 
Sorry; no luck finding the vid with him talking about his finish. I studied and experimented with finishes and found nothing better as far as a natural look (no visible built up "coating") and still a very durable protective coating. You could go to the library and check out the video called : Sam Maloof Woodworking Profile. I believe that one he is talking about the finish and demonstrating the application.
Basically you slop it on and rub real hard and wipe it as dry as you can. In a week it is pretty dry but usable as furniture in a day (the finish is down in the pores and not sticky at all) and since there is no solvent in it it does not smell bad.
 
Greenberg Woods said:
A poly finish is a poor choice for a knife handle, ebony in particular. AS a curing finish on an oily wood, the poly will not cure properly and will remain sticky and may weep
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Please.
Try Sam's finish. THEN talk about it. As I have.
And the wood in my photo is bubinga.
 
OK . . . OK
I stand corrected.
I did some research :
Not suggested for use on Zircote, Ebony or Rosewood
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It is the number one finish looks and performance wise for my bubinga. Ebony that I have worked didn't seem nearly as oily as cocobolo and lignum vitae. Sounds like a good hard rub with the shavings to burnish the surface and then some carnaba wax and you will be good.
 
I love micro mesh. Natural hard woods I just hand sand up 12.000.
"Just" 2500 also looks good
 
Greenberg Woods said:
I would not advise this. A poly finish is a poor choice for a knife handle, ebony in particular. AS a curing finish on an oily wood, the poly will not cure properly and will remain sticky and may weep. Epoxy can not be forced in the same way resin can be, as the epoxy is self reactive and will cure on its own while the stabilizing resin is heat cured.

Epoxy stabilizing does not work. As I explained in a different post, the penetration is just so shallow as to not be worth considering. Ebony can be stabilized professionally by K&G using their thin solution. It works quite well.
Click to expand...

I would suppose a CA finish is out of the question being that it is an oily wood? If that's the case, could the scales be prepared by wiping/soaking in a spirits to remove any oil lingering on the surface? An ebony handle finished to a glassy super gloss finish would look absolutely stunning.
 
Ca will cure just fine, but the slight pores don't look right on ebony with it.

Personally I hand sand to 1500, buff with Zam, and give it a light coat of wax
 
One attractive aspect of the micro mesh solution is that it is something I already have. Does that produce a durable finish or conversely, is it one that will wear quickly or unevenly with use?
 
Sand to 400, buff with 0000 steel wool, buff with green or any fine compound.
Wax with neutral shoe polish.
Ebony has been used for a hundred plus years. It needs no finish.
 
Steel wool is not the best for wood as tiny pieces break off and stick into the wood .These pieces rust and show up clearly ! Much better is stainless steel wool.
 
mete said:
Steel wool is not the best for wood as tiny pieces break off and stick into the wood .These pieces rust and show up clearly ! Much better is stainless steel wool.
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I know. I've always been surprised at how popular steel wool is in the woodworking world for knocking back a gloss finish to a semi gloss. If the pores are filled then I suppose all is good. People even apply finish with steel wool to make kind of a filler from the saw dust. I suppose they get away with it because not much moisture compared to a knife handle.

I've never used steel wool . . . well not since wood shop in high school in the seventies. That was on a rock maple tool box after a good old thick varnish to take the lint nubs off. Rubbed it out with pumic and oil.
Whoa ! . . . .
ha, ha, ha
 
Would you say GEC uses a similar fairly unfinished ebony or do they go with the stabilized blanks or what ? Curious because one day I am GOING to track down a Grinling Whittler with ebony scales.
A must have . . . just a matter of time.

One "finish" that James Krenov liked to put on wood that didn't take finish so well or that he wanted to look like just raw wood . . . he mixed up a super thin batch of white shellac . . . I think him and his Euro buds called it "polish". It protected the wood from finger prints and made it easier to dust but was minimalist enough to avoid making the wood look bad (like oil on hickory can) or the sticky non drying finish thing on oily super dense wood.

GEC_38_Ebony___62943.1427746808.1280.1280.jpg
 
Come to think of it I think I block sanded that maple tool box. Seems like I used steel wool for something on the box. It has been too long. Now I just finish plane and use an in the wood finish like Maloof. I have used the Maloof for the oil under coat and then french polished over that with ruby shellac. Again that was on bubinga. Really brought out the reds and golds and blacks in the bubinga. I wanted a finish that food wasn't going to get in the pores of the wood. This would make an easily repaired finish on a knife. Not sure how durable it would be. Works well on furniture.
Blacks, gold and depth there is so much more there e.g., deep red veins veines.JPG
IMG_1632.jpg
 
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I guess that you can you hand sand ebony to about any superfine grit ant but I think that it is unnecessary . Bill DeShivs method is as good as any. I try not to get it hot when finishing and hand sand to not much over 400 or 600 grit. I don't even wax it but when I wax some handles I use Pledge wax which is thin and goes away quickly but gives a temporary sheen. I really don't think any wax is required but that is only my never so humble opinion. Larry
 
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