question on rehabbing old saws

[Matt Ranum]

When you guys are re doing old saws and you have minor cracks/checks in the handle what do you do?

I'm working on an early D-8 and the handle has some small cracks in it that don't go through it and its tight everywhere. They are really so small I don't think I could shoot any glue in it. My gut tells me to not worry about it.

[Robert Rozaieski]

My gut tells me to not worry about it.

If the handle is tight, go with your gut ;). Glue won't do anything anyway unless you can tightly clamp the offending crack together. If it's simply a seasonal check just filling the crack with glue will do nothing.

[David Keller NC]

Matt - If you want to glue the check so it doesn't go any further, pick up a bottle of low-viscosity (i.e., "thin") superglue at the WW store. I use it often to fill checks on the ends of wooden planes. It does stabilize the crack so it won't progress any further, and it's thin enough so that just its surface tension will pull it into the crack.

[Matt Ranum]

Matt - If you want to glue the check so it doesn't go any further, pick up a bottle of low-viscosity (i.e., "thin") superglue at the WW store. I use it often to fill checks on the ends of wooden planes. It does stabilize the crack so it won't progress any further, and it's thin enough so that just its surface tension will pull it into the crack.

Would that affect the final finish put back on the handle at all or would the sanding take care of that? I've been just using a wipe on poly for a finish on these handles.

[george wilson]

If you don't get all of the glue off the wood,it will look bleached compared to the rest of the handle. You could do what I sometimes do: take a 1 1/2" squeeze of 5 minute epoxy in a cup. Add about two table spoons of denatured alcohol.Stir it up till the epoxy is all mixed in. Apply with a cheap brush. You have maybe 10 minutes to paint it on. Let it dry till it is rubbery. This might be a few hours. DO NOT wait overnight,or it will be hard to sand. It should sand off with 220 garnet paper in little "footballs." See that it also went into the cracks well. Repeat next day.

this completely seals the wood so you can varnish or lacquer over it. It is a very pretty finish,nice and rich like varnish,and is very durable. I prefer to put finish over it rather than use it as a final finish. That way you can rub it to a piano finish if you wish. I've used it on pistol grips.

If you want a REAL hard epoxy sealant,use 2 hour epoxy instead. It will take longer to set up to a 'leather hard' state so you can easily sand it. Do it in the morning,and keep an eye on it for some hours so you can get it right for sanding easily. If it gets too hard,it's very hard to sand.

[Matt Ranum]

If you don't get all of the glue off the wood,it will look bleached compared to the rest of the handle. You could do what I sometimes do: take a 1 1/2" squeeze of 5 minute epoxy in a cup. Add about two table spoons of denatured alcohol.Stir it up till the epoxy is all mixed in. Apply with a cheap brush. You have maybe 10 minutes to paint it on. Let it dry till it is rubbery. This might be a few hours. DO NOT wait overnight,or it will be hard to sand. It should sand off with 220 garnet paper in little "footballs." See that it also went into the cracks well. Repeat next day.

this completely seals the wood so you can varnish or lacquer over it. It is a very pretty finish,nice and rich like varnish,and is very durable. I prefer to put finish over it rather than use it as a final finish. That way you can rub it to a piano finish if you wish. I've used it on pistol grips.

If you want a REAL hard epoxy sealant,use 2 hour epoxy instead. It will take longer to set up to a 'leather hard' state so you can easily sand it. Do it in the morning,and keep an eye on it for some hours so you can get it right for sanding easily. If it gets too hard,it's very hard to sand.

I never played with epoxy but maybe I will try that. You coat the entire handle then as I understand it, correct?

[george wilson]

Yes,coat the whole handle as you were applying a finish.