Splinters vs. Patina - How to keep my toddler from getting reclaimed wood splinters

[Simon Wukasch]

I've got several reclaimed studs that I intend to use for a bookcase. I've wirebrushed all the grime off of them, but there is still a bit of a bite to them when you run your fingers in the wrong direction. My wife and I are about to have our first child and I want to make sure that in a year my little one isn't getting unintentionally stabbed by the furniture.

Any thoughts on how to keep the beautiful patina and age of the piece but get rid of sliver potential?

Thanks!

[Brian Tax]

Having a 5 year old boy and a 3 year old girl, I will tell you that it will be impossible to: 1. keep them from getting splinters, 2. keep the patina looking beautiful. If they are around something alone, they will figure out a way to hurt themselves on it, and draw/spill/break/etc. it. My advice would be to keep it in a room where they don't go in alone.

[Simon Wukasch]

Thanks, Brian. Someone recommended heavy-heavy-duty varnish. Like it's encased in ice. Would that have worked for your little ones?
(I was about to ask if they really drew on the projects you've completed, but I'm realizing how ignorant I am of the chaos that is a childrened home)

[Earl Rumans]

Starting at around 13 months children can get places you wont believe, find things you didn't know existed and can also destroy anything. We raised 4 children and have kept 7 grandchildren over the years, while their parents worked, until they started school. Like Brian said you need to keep these pieces in an area where you can keep your child away from them.

[J.R. Rutter]

Maybe hit them with a sanding mop that will knock off fine slivers and keep interesting grain texture.

[Brian Tax]

Not sure if they specifically drew on any of my projects, but they have drawn on other walls/furniture etc. They did split the lid (not on a glue joint either) of a blanket chest I made that we keep at the end of our bed. Not sure how they did it, I guess jumping from the bed on to it is just to irresistible. I was able to glue it back together and it has held so far. We just decided not to have anything out that we would be too sad if it got wrecked.

[Von Bickley]

The patina would have to go. I would not want a piece of furniture in my house that children or adults would get splinters.
Splinters can cause severe infections.

[Jim Matthews]

Time for a smooth approach.

Kids will chew, grab, bang into and otherwise handle anything within reach.
You wouldn't take your kid to a playground with heavily worn lumber,
or a rusted slide.

Anybody that tells you this is a good idea around children doesn't have any.

[Sam Babbage]

I've done this with a powered wire brush (Metabo, modified angle grinder). It's somewhat unpleasant, but effective. Small volume could be done with drill attachment, but any serious volume will destroy said drill.

[Thomas Canfield]

You might try a couple of coats of thinned shellac, sanding after the first coat to knock down the rough spots and splinters. Shellac is one of the easiest coatings for me and hardens up the surface also. It is supposed to be safe also for children.

[johnny means]

As a furniture builder and designer, the first thing on my list of must haves is safety. No piece of furniture should be inherently unsafe. Sometimes you need to determine of the design you imagine is fit to actually be made. I'm reminded of a certain art museum that some stupid architect thought needed glass stairs. This grand idea was a boon for pervs who collected up skirt photos.

[Jim Andrew]

Johnny, that was a great post. Maybe that is what the architect had in mind. As for the splinters, the grade school I attended had wooden railings going from the 1st to the 2nd floor, and I still remember getting a nasty splinter off that railing.

[Richard Wolf]

As a furniture builder and designer, the first thing on my list of must haves is safety. No piece of furniture should be inherently unsafe. Sometimes you need to determine of the design you imagine is fit to actually be made. I'm reminded of a certain art museum that some stupid architect thought needed glass stairs. This grand idea was a boon for pervs who collected up skirt photos.

Johnny, where is that museum?

[Simon Wukasch]

Hey JR, this would seem to keep the grain texture but lose all the great aged-colour of the wood.

[Simon Wukasch]

...decided not to have anything out that we would be too sad if it got wrecked. I think this principle may keep me from great sadness :)

[Simon Wukasch]

Sam, what was unpleasant about the powered wire brush for you? I don't have an angle grinder, but if the shaft is right would it be safe to pop it onto the drill press?

[Simon Wukasch]

Thomas, your suggestion seems most tempting. I'm imagining the end product to be super glossy. Would that be the effect? I've never used shellac before, but my impression is also that it is non-toxic and therefore child-safe. I suppose by finishing the sanding with a fine grit I can make an intentionally matte surface so it doesn't feel too polished and pristine. I wonder if that will impede the viewer's ability to see the patina and therefore render the exercise to save the patina pointless (but in the end make it splinter-proof).

[Sam Babbage]

It is a very dusty/dirty process. I wouldn't want to use a drill press or good hand drill, you kind of have to bear down on the brush which will damage the bearings, a cheap second hand drill might be the go.