Chiruwa protection

G

Glenn Jones

Joined
Feb 26, 2002
Messages
618
I recently bought a couple of Chiruwa AKs - absolutely beautiful khukuries (one a 16.5 inch with a wood handle and the other a 15 inch with a horn handle). If looks were the sole criteria, I would make sure all my khukuries were in Chiruwa style.

However, I am concerned about the steel in the handle being exposed to the salts in my skin. I have a feeling that this could cause the quick formation of rust. I am curious about how people are protecting the steel in their chiruwa handles. It's not that I am constantly using them but I do like to handle all my khukuries fairly regularly. What is the best way to protect the steel in the handle? At the moment, I am using Castor Oil. I am avoiding using the gun oil I use on blades because I don't want my hands in contact with oils that may contain toxic chemicals.

Am I unnecessarily concerned?
 
Lots of people have suggested wax-based products, like Renaissance Wax (somewhat expensive, but goes a long way). That solution would probably be durable and nontoxic. Wax wouldn't soak into your skin very easily. Beeswax would probably work well on a handle - not so good for blades because it will eventually start to gum up in the sheath, like vegetable oil.

I read somewhere about trappers using a hot wax dip to protect traps from rust. The procedure went something like this: boil a large pot of water; add a little parafin wax, which melts and floats on top of the water. When you pull the traps out, they go through the wax layer and pick up a thin, even layer of parafin. So some sort of hot wax might work too - I'd probably try straight wax, rather than the wax/water technique, to protect the handle wood/horn. One bonus, if you have a hairy sheath, you could wax that too! :D
 
I have been using Flitz Rifle/Gun Wax on my khukuris with great success. This stuff is specially blended with Carnuba and Bee's wax. This stuff is really easy to apply and brings a really nice shine to the blade. I have been using it on my chiruwa for at least 6 months with no rust. It's cheap too, I think I paid $5 for a bottle and there is enough to coat 50 guns. Good stuff, I highly recommend it for knives and guns.

Ryan
 
Best way to stop rust forming on those chiruwa tangs is to *use* them, preferably every day. Puts a nice sheen on the horn scales, too...
 
I put a bead of JB weld along where the handle slabs meet the metal. It keeps moisture from getting between the tang and wood/horn.:)
 
I have no idea whether you can obtain what I use on bare steel or not. On some things I have even used Carbon-tet to clean the steel so there is no oil left. The glue similar to super glue called Bondini 2 now comes in a container with a brush in it. A well brushed out coat of the stuff seems to last for quite some time. Even on items that are used almost every day. It will also prevent moisture from going between the wood or horn slabs and the steel.:)
 
Gotta agree and say the best way to care for something like this is to use it, but you could try usin some baby oil. Good for horn, and for many years I used to use it on to protect my knifes blades. I must admit I have a soft spot for the stuff, and use it for so many more things than what its marketed for. Also not too bad a smell either. Anyways a lite coat should help, and not make things too slippery. I often coat the horn handles on mine with baby oil when not in use, and whenever I start usin em, the oil usually absorbs into the skin pretty quick and the slipperiness is there negligible..
 
Originally posted by Federico baby oil......for many years I used to use it on to protect my knifes blades.
Click to expand...
IIRC light mineral oil (same as baby oil, not heavy mineral oil used for laxative) with 1% addition of clove oil has been the standard for many years as the oil of choice for Japanese swords.

Only theory I've heard RE the clove oil was to aid discriminating blade oil from cooking oil. Since almost all 'pure' mineral oil on the shelf has Vitamin E added as a 'stabilizer', I wonder if the clove oil was partly added as a preservative. Why mineral oil needs a stabilizer I don't know. I thought mineral oil was a pretty stabile hydrocarbon. Of course it does burn / oxidise.......and Vit.E is an anti-oxident..............?

If it should actually matter, the only true pure light mineral oil I've found with any certainty is honing oil. Or one could buy the Japanese Choji oil (I just did a search) for about $5/oz.

dean
 
Thanks for all the informative replies. I have to admit I would never have thought of all the possibilities. I particularly like the idea of baby oil. I have tried to find a distributor for Renaissance wax in Australia but have had no luck as yet. I'll try a gun shop for the Flitz rifle/gun wax, but like Bondini 2, it may be a brand not easily found in Australia. My wife particularly liked the suggestions about me doing more work with my khukuries:)
 
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