Repairing weather cracks in tool handles

[Michael Ray Smith]

I'm working through a few old draw knives that I've accumulated over time. Like puppies, they seem to follow me home. Cracks in the handles are a common problem with old draw knives, probably because they were sort of prone to being left out in the weather.

I thought I'd once again seek the collective wisdom of the Neandercreekers. What are the best ways for stabilizing and sealing cracks in tool handles? In most cases, I wind up with an oil finish (BLO or tung) topped with wax of my own concoction, but sometimes I use shellac.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Michael

Does the BLO cause any of the cracks to close on their own accord?

If you are concerned that they may widen, try superglue for the fine and a mix of epoxy and colouring/sawdust for the wide ones.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Michael Ray Smith]

That's exactly what I've been doing so far.

[Jim Koepke]

Does the BLO cause any of the cracks to close on their own accord?


I have soaked some handles in BLO and the wood swells and closes the cracks. This has worked on many tools from kitchen knives to shovels.

It doesn't always work, but it does enough that it always gets a try.

jtk

[Michael Ray Smith]

Derek and Jim -- Thanks for the tips. As Derek suggested, I've notice that the BLO closes some of the smaller cracks all by itself, but I hadn't really considered that as an intentional method for closing them. (Sometimes the obvious escapes me.) I generally use a cloth to apply the BLO 3-4 times, and I can imagine that Jim's suggestion for soaking the handles in BLO would give the oil a better chance to penetrate more deeply.

One thing I've wondered about -- for the cracks that don't close with the application of BLO, will the BLO prevent the glue (as Derek suggested, superglue or epoxy, depending on the size of the crack) from bonding?

And that thought made me ask myself something else -- I generally think of repairing cracks with glue as consisting of two parts: Stabilize the crack so it doesn't propagate any further, and then seal it. That makes sense for things like chisel handles that may be struck, but a draw knife handle doesn't have any serious external force on it. The cracks are caused by shrinking. Once the shrinkage is stopped (or even reversed, as with the BLO), isn't the crack already stabilized? If so, I may not worry too much about how well the glue bonds because all it needs to do is bond enough not to fall out.

And that leads me to yet another thought: Unless I want to seal the cracks for the benefit of a top-coat finish, does sealing the cracks really do anything? Maybe I should just soak the handles in BLO and be done with it.

Sorry for all the detailed, basic questions. I'm obviously still learning, and I truly appreciate your willingness to teach.

Mike

[Dave Anderson NH]

Hi Mike,

Traditionally tool handles were finished with BLO and things like lacquer are a more modern abomination. I was taught as my father was taught to take a new tool and sand off the lacquer finish as soon as I got it home. Then the handle was either rubbed or submerged in BLO and allowed to dry. A couple of more coats and the tool is ready for use. Lacquer and other film finishes will raise blisters quite quickly and if you don't believe it, work bare handed with a shovel, hoe, or other garden tool for a while. After your hands heal try the same thing again with a BLO treated handle.

I do modify the finish process for woodworking tool handles by giving the treated handles a buffed up coat of carnuba wax.

[Rick Lapp]

I have soaked mine in ethylene glycol antifreeze; it closes the gaps and is non-toxic when dry. It also does not interfere with any finish. Dave Carnell posted about this under "chemotherapy for rot" years ago. He passed a couple years ago. Rick