Finish for knife handles?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

We have a set of knives, a cleaver and a sharpener we've had for years. The physical size of my hands makes the cleaver my most used piece of cutlery. The handle is starting to crack and the finish is pretty well worn off. I plan on repairing the cracks with thinned epoxy. What type of finish is normally used for knife handles?

Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

Honestly...I used shellac on the knives I handled myself. It feels good in the hand and is easily renewable. The "old old" knives from before I learned a thing or three about knives don't have any finish on the handles that I'm aware of. The Globals are SS and the Zwilling Pros have composite handle laminations, so no finish.

[Ted Phillips]

I'm a big fan of Tru-Oil for knife handles. I've used it on over 100 custom knife scales I've made and it is beautiful, easy to apply, tough and durable.

TedP

[Prashun Patel]

Oil/varnish.

[John Blazy]

Most of the guys on the Blade forums use Tru-oil. More solids, so it fills and polishes better than common oil finishes like danish oil. Maybe thin the epoxy, heat the wood, let the epoxy soak in, then wipe off, while glueing the spit back together. Then lightly sand fine and buff, then wax a little or use a little oil.

[David Helm]

I have been using Maloof oil on the knives I have "handled". They do not go in the dishwasher and I personally do the knife washing.