Waterproof Finish

wmhammond

Well-Known Member
What is everyone's go to finish for waterproofing a wooded kitchen knife handle? I sand to 400 grit and then coat with 4 coats of Waterlox marine sealer mixed 50% with mineral spirits. Then 2 coats of 100% Waterlox marine sealer and resand with 400 grit. Next is 25 coats of CA super glue and then I sand it down to 1500 grit. How does this sound to you? Tell me what you do. Thanks

Wallace
 
Wallace, when you say the Waterlox sealer is sanded down, then you say the CA is sanded down - do you mean the finish is sanded back to bare wood leaving the pores fully filled each time? If so, that's how it's normally done to fill pores completely, but no near so many coats. The CA (or other sealer) is normally wet sanded to create sanding dust that's wet with CA that fills the pores nicely.

As Edward said this isn't normally needed for stabilized wood since it's already filled. About all stabilized wood needs is sanding to a fine finish, 800 to 1500, then a nice polish on buffing wheel to look good. On some stabilized woods I have used a few layers of TruOil as finish to bring out the grain a bit better, even on stabilized wood.

Now, as to "Water Proof", that needs defining a bit. If you're talking about passing an Industrial WaterProof test, that's tough. If only used in normal use that washing in water and knife getting wet without damage?

Nothing is going to handle many times thru a dishwasher.
 
Wallace, when you say the Waterlox sealer is sanded down, then you say the CA is sanded down - do you mean the finish is sanded back to bare wood leaving the pores fully filled each time? If so, that's how it's normally done to fill pores completely, but no near so many coats. The CA (or other sealer) is normally wet sanded to create sanding dust that's wet with CA that fills the pores nicely.

As Edward said this isn't normally needed for stabilized wood since it's already filled. About all stabilized wood needs is sanding to a fine finish, 800 to 1500, then a nice polish on buffing wheel to look good. On some stabilized woods I have used a few layers of TruOil as finish to bring out the grain a bit better, even on stabilized wood.

Now, as to "Water Proof", that needs defining a bit. If you're talking about passing an Industrial WaterProof test, that's tough. If only used in normal use that washing in water and knife getting wet without damage?

Nothing is going to handle many times thru a dishwasher.
Thanks, Ken. At no point after I apply the first coat of Waterlox do I attempt to sand back all the way to bare wood. My whole point here is to get a built up finish with Waterlox and more particularly with the Super Glue so I can sand it down to 1500 grit an never break through the build up to bare wood. Thus I get a pure plastic coating that is pretty impervious to liquids.
 
Sounds like your method provides a really shiny glass like finish - bet it's purty. Have you ever tried TruOil finish?
 
Used motor oil. Just soak everything in it.

Gives it a great smell, too.

:)

Mmmmmmm burnt oil.

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A consideration that is often overlooked is this- some wood doesn’t need any form of sealant at all. Yes, I’m talking about kitchen knives. We seal most of them to keep them looking pretty, but oily woods won’t take a finishing oil and these are the woods that have been used to make knife handles for hundreds of years. Woods like rosewood and olive. Other woods that don’t need sealing aren’t very pretty but will outlive us all, like hickory, white oak, ash. If people make boats out of it there’s a good reason.

A sealant like paste wax is great for woods that won’t take an oil finish. Any wood that won’t take an oil finish is already about as impervious to water as a wood is going to get.
 
A consideration that is often overlooked is this- some wood doesn’t need any form of sealant at all. Yes, I’m talking about kitchen knives. We seal most of them to keep them looking pretty, but oily woods won’t take a finishing oil and these are the woods that have been used to make knife handles for hundreds of years. Woods like rosewood and olive. Other woods that don’t need sealing aren’t very pretty but will outlive us all, like hickory, white oak, ash. If people make boats out of it there’s a good reason.

A sealant like paste wax is great for woods that won’t take an oil finish. Any wood that won’t take an oil finish is already about as impervious to water as a wood is going to get.
My go-to finish for wood is boiled linseed oil and Minwax paste wax. Tung oil and paste wax has given me great results, too.

I'm under no illusions that it's impervious to water, but it feels nice, it's pretty durable,, and it's easy to maintain.

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I don't think wood needs to be impervious, it just has to be stable enough that it won't swell and crack under normal use. The wood will dry. We as makers then to overthink this. The vase majority of kitchen knives have handles that are fairly pedestrian- crudely shaped and riveted on with huge gaps. People don't even notice. But we are in the business of custom, and more often than not, the difference is aesthetics. An Old Hickory kitchen knife likely served your Grandma for 50 years.

The reason I seal kitchen knife handles is to keep them from getting stained by blood, oils, and soap. It keeps the handle looking pretty. I think people have been somewhat led astray by the push for stabilizing. Too many people have come to believe that the handle is going to fall off if you use unstabilized wood, which is really only useful for wood that normally wouldn't be a great choice for a knife handle. Don't get me wrong, I'm not at all against stabilization- I just don't think it's necessary in a lot of woods. I also think it can be overdone. I've used some blocks that were so completely impregnated that they looked like a piece of Corian countertop and they smelled and acted like plastic when shaping them. That is not what I want, at all.
 
I use mostly Japanese-made kitchen knives that are a mix of those cheapo rosewood (?) or ho-wood handles. I use mineral oil on the blades and handles every time I use them. Some of those knives have seen daily use and washing for 15 years so far. (They never sit dirty or in dishwater, so I believe that aids their longevity.) They're all in great shape. And I love the feel.

That said, I do still understand the desire for shiny and staying so in a purchased handmade knife. Hard to keep 'em that way, though, especially if customers leave CA finished handles sitting in dishwater.
 
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