Wood handles in the Kitchen - what finish?

Michael Kemp

Well-Known Member
I've been experimenting with finishes for wood handled kitchen knives - both ones we've owned for awhile and a couple I've made...

Our kitchen is probably less destructive than most since we don't have a dishwasher and hand wash everything... but still... whatever the finish is on wood, it takes a beating!

I've tried waxes (Renaissance and Briwax) and they don't last long. Is it my application or is this normal?

I've been trying CA glue finishing... using the super-thin CA glue and sanding between coats. The 1st try turned out very thick and plasticy. The second knife is better - it /looks/ more natural but still feels like a hunk of plastic in my hand. These are both well used knives.

The process I went through with the second one was:
- clean and dry the knife (in a drying box)
- sand wood w. 400 grit
- light coat of super-thin CA glue
- sand w. 400 grit - notice cracks next to the tang
- put some regular thickness CA glue into the cracks
- light coat of super-thin CA glue
- sand w. 600 grit
- light coat of super-thin CA glue
- sand w. 600 grit
- light coat of super-thin CA glue
- sand with 800, then 1200, then hand rub

... like I said - this one comes out not /looking/ plastic - but still /feels/ plastic to me...

I'm about to try a 3rd knife with CA glue since it does hold up to kitchen use. I'll try some modifications to the method to see if it comes out more natural feeling.

Any comments on my methods?

Any suggestions for kitchen-worthy finishes other than CA glue?

Thanks Much!

Michael Kemp
 
One thing is the answere will depend on what wood you are using. I've got a slicer that I handled with African Blackwood and nothing has seemed to effect it even though all I did was sand and buff it. Of course it is very hard and is one of the oiliest woods that there is. Lignum vitae is also an indistructable wood but it is getting hard to find real lignum vitae and you'll pay top dollar for it. Osage Orange would also be rather resistant to wear and tear. For something that is less resilliant you might try soaking the block or scales in boiled linseed oil for a few days and then letting it dry. You could just go ahead and get some stabilized wood or Diamondwood if you didn't want to go with a straight synthetic.

Doug Lester
 
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@Doug - good points - I may try a more thorough treatment of boiled linseed (or tung) oil and see how that holds up in the kitchen.

Michael Kemp
 
Your best bet would be either stabilized wood or Dymondwood. Dymondwood holds up very well, the only problem is getting it in undyed woods that look like wood, the Oak and Cocobolo, and Walnut look nice to me. Also Tru Oil gunstock finish does pretty good, as long as you hand dry them after hand washing.
My method for Tru Oil is to apply it by sanding it with 400 grit paper to form a slury of oil and sanding dust from the wood, then wipe off the excess and let dry, and then repeat as many times as it takes to fill the grain completly, when the grain is filled let dry and buff with fine steel wool, or a cloth. This can take alot of time, but gives a nice satin finish, that has sealed the wood very well. If you want a slicker finish, after the grain is filled, just work up to a higher grit finish using the Tru Oil to wet the paper as you did to fill the grain.
Another wood that is naturally oily is Desert Ironwood, I have never used it on kitchen knives, but my hunting knife sees alot of wet use, and kitchen use as well and has held up very well, and has no other finish but sanded and buffed.
 
@JDW - My downfall is that I just love wood. I've got a lot of blocks and tree rounds stashed away around here that I want to dig into. I think for the moment I'll continue my experiments with CA glue - but you've got me thinking about gun stock oil finishes.

Thanks for your specifics on application of Tru Oil - I'm putting that on my shopping list and will try it on a handle here real soon.

Michael Kemp
 
I have used both CA and a wipe on poly, made by MinWax, and good results with both. The CA looks shinnyer and does have that plastic feel to it. I put mine on by hand, gave it a textured feel. Only problem was soaking in the dish water for two days, kids. The poly finish does last and gives the more natural feel. I have to refinish mine after two years, as the finish is coming off the front of the scales. Maybe an extra coat will help on this. That area getts a lot of scrubbing. Hope this helps. James Clair, Archer Moon.
 
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