Seal Coat on Wood Handles?

Hi again!

I usually use Danish Oil on all of my wooden handles. Sometimes if I don't want them to darken too much I'll use tung oil, like on blackwoods or other very dark stuff.


But I've got a commission from a chef for 2 knives, and he specifically requested a seal coat on the handle. I offered synthetic materials, but he wanted the Purpleheart Wood and the Ironwood I have in stock. I told him that no one I've dealt with before had any problem with any of the handles before, but he was insistent, so I agreed.

I've searched these forums and seen many different answers from a light UV Epoxy coating, to a light superglue coating, to polyurethane. To make my chef happiest, what would be best? I've got thin, clear starbond + activator handy, but it wouldn't be a problem to get some poly.
 
Danish oil and tung oil are both drying oils like linseed. Most tung oil I’ve heard contains mostly thinned polyurethane. Those will all give you a sealed finish. What is the person trying to accomplish? I would just use polyurethane myself I guess. Purple Heart will take it well, ironwood isn’t going to absorb much of anything anyway
 
Danish oil and tung oil are both drying oils like linseed. Most tung oil I’ve heard contains mostly thinned polyurethane. Those will all give you a sealed finish. What is the person trying to accomplish? I would just use polyurethane myself I guess. Purple Heart will take it well, ironwood isn’t going to absorb much of anything anyway

He's worried about bacteria collecting in the handle. Like I said, I tried to convince him it wasn't a problem, or we could switch to other material types, but here we are.

I'll try polyurethane.
 
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