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dovetaildoc
I'm putting Koa scales on kitchen knife blanks, and am interested in ideas of finishing products.
Mike
Mike
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dovetaildoc
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Good looking knives.
I've put a couple of dozen together also with various finishes. I've used rattle can catalyzed lacquer more than anything, usually over de-waxed shellac. These have held up well in daily use.
A couple got many coats of pure Tung Oil. These have done OK. This finish is fine as long as you will keep some oil handy and wipe it down occasionally.
A few heavily used knives were finished with multiple coats of Tru-Oil. This has been the most durable finish for knives that get used regularly.
Is your question specific to Koa? What finish do you normally use? What are the results?
I've put a couple of dozen together also with various finishes. I've used rattle can catalyzed lacquer more than anything, usually over de-waxed shellac. These have held up well in daily use.
A couple got many coats of pure Tung Oil. These have done OK. This finish is fine as long as you will keep some oil handy and wipe it down occasionally.
A few heavily used knives were finished with multiple coats of Tru-Oil. This has been the most durable finish for knives that get used regularly.
Is your question specific to Koa? What finish do you normally use? What are the results?
Wow, gorgeous and what a display Of scales. Great anticipation just looking at those.
However, as a faithful and loyal follower of Wood Barter, I am concerned. @Don Ratcliff , Don, are you missing any Koa?? Just kidding Mike I hope you know. No one can get Don to turn lose any of his stash!!!
However, as a faithful and loyal follower of Wood Barter, I am concerned. @Don Ratcliff , Don, are you missing any Koa?? Just kidding Mike I hope you know. No one can get Don to turn lose any of his stash!!!
Not sure with koa. I dipped several of my knives in oil base polyurethane to make sure they were sealed. Someone has a habit of submerging or even dishwasher use on my knives. If I had it to do again, I would stabilize and polish and be done.
The few knives handles I've done I've always stabilized the blanks before I made them because I assume the knives would see some water, even if warned not to put them in the dish water or sink. So for the final finish, I just sand to 600 grit or so and them buff them on a wheel. Same with reel seat inserts. The shine will fade with use but if you buff them again it comes back quickly.
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dovetaildoc
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Johnathan, Thank you. As a first coat, the de-waxed shellac helps keep the chatoyancy. I use Lacquer for my Guitars and Ukuleles to great effect, but have been concerned to expose lacquer to the elements of the kitchen. Thanks to your suggestion, I'll try the lacquer. Up until now, I have been using tung oil on the handles, but if someone soaks the handle cleaning it, the protection is poor.
I was wondering if anybody has tried the Rubio Monocoat?Almost all of my projects are of Koa, and have been working with it for 40 years. Usually furniture, which I have always used a Maloof style, 1/3Tung, 1/3 mineral spirits, 1/3 Poly wiped hard to create some friction (4-5 coats) then, a thin coat of tung/poly with the proper satin/gloss mix in the poly.
Most recent table was epoxy poured live edge, and the result has been better than I expected with "Art Resin Epoxy". It's been a year of daily use, and no scratches or discoloration.
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dovetaildoc
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Thank you Doug,
I started out stabilizing the scales, but found that due to the differences in the porosity of the koa from each different Hawaiian Island and altitude it was grown, the Cactus juice didn't seem to penetrate the darker harder blanks, and was only partially effective on the lighter grained porus pieces. I'll have to re-examine the stabilizing again, perhaps sending a few to K&G for a professional try.
Mike
PS: I've got way more scales (and wood) that I can use. If anyone is interested, let me know what sizes, grain curl pattern and color, and I'll list some on the wood for sale pages.
Please put up a listing of your scales & other wood. You probably could overwhelm one thread with all of your wood, so you might instead list one category, like scales, per thread. Chuck
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dovetaildoc
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Would be interested in bowl blanks, bigger the better, and 2.5 x 6 x 6” blanks. The curlier and darker the better. Thanks.
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dovetaildoc
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John, I've got mostly dimensional wood up to about 7/4. Most is 1/8 for Luthier work, and a ton of 3/4 curly.
In this picture, I've used most of the 2 front slabs, but am planning on breaking down the dark one in back. I think it is 12/4 and 3ftX7ft. When I start to cut it down, I'll have a better idea about the curl pattern
In this picture, I've used most of the 2 front slabs, but am planning on breaking down the dark one in back. I think it is 12/4 and 3ftX7ft. When I start to cut it down, I'll have a better idea about the curl pattern
Certainly the density of the blanks will have an effect on the penetration. What kind of vacuum are you achieving when you stabilize? Maximize your vacuum, wait until all bubble have ceased flowing from the wood, increase your soak time to give the resin time to find all the porous access points. I've stabilized some green osage that was about as hard as anything I've ever done and it seemed to work. Polished up like glass. Otherwise, I'd probably go with Tru Oil.
FYI: Curtis at Cactus Juice is usually very responsive, so you could also send him a note and ask if there are any other tricks you could try when stabilizing high density wood. Maybe warm it up right before you begin.
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Mike. Very nice work. I had a bunch of Koa a few ago. You do nice work, my friend !!!
Johnathan, Thank you. As a first coat, the de-waxed shellac helps keep the chatoyancy. I use Lacquer for my Guitars and Ukuleles to great effect, but have been concerned to expose lacquer to the elements of the kitchen. Thanks to your suggestion, I'll try the lacquer. Up until now, I have been using tung oil on the handles, but if someone soaks the handle cleaning it, the protection is poor.
That's some purdy wood. I have to wonder what Tung oil it is you're having poor results with? Many things out there try to pass themselves off as Tung oil but you find Tung Oil Finish is akin to "Orange Drink" posing as supposed Orange juice.
'Round here it's either Master's Blend 100% Tung Oil or Milk Paint brand Tung Oil. I even use it on things that live outdoors.
My son @Bear Custom Builds being the Blacksmith as well as woodworker, leatherworker etc, made a very nice kitchen knife for my wife just over two years ago now. The Padauk handle was finished with 100% pure Tung Oil and it sees constant daily use and washing (no dishwasher) and it has had zero issues. We do of course maintain it with some regularity. In this house it's an odd week when there isn't a jar of Tung oil open on the kitchen table at some point.
I am a big fan of osmo polyx hardwax oil. I've tried a number of different products on my finished kitchen knife handles, but this gives me the best balance of protection while not making the wood feel like it's covered in a layer of plastic.
Here's an example of a koa reahandle I did. The wood in this one is stabilized, but I find that the osmo finish works equally well on non-stabilized wood as well.
Here's an example of a koa reahandle I did. The wood in this one is stabilized, but I find that the osmo finish works equally well on non-stabilized wood as well.
