Finishing hand tools

[Graham Wilson]

Hi all,

Just curious what finish people recommend for their home-built hand tools. I've made myself a pair of beech mallets and hope to start on a few marking gauges, a bow-saw and a Krenov style plane over the next month or two (hardwood beech and/or maple).

Thanks,
Graham

NB: I debated about whether this belongs in finishing forum or here... in the end I decided that asking the 'hand tools' people was best.

[Mike K Wenzloff]

Depending on the wood, I simply use Behlen's Qualasole.

If the wood has figure I wish to bring out, I will in all likelihood use a rag dampened with Teak oil. It is important not to flood the tool with oil. Just a dampened rag well rubbed in until the wood isn't dry. Wait 24 hours and repeat. Then the finish of choice a couple days later.

If the tool is a mallet, I'll use the oil alone on the head but still use the Qualasole on the handle.

For a marking gauge, I will only use the Qualasole because I want to make sure the wood to wood locking mechanism doesn't slip in use.

Take care, Mike

[Pam Niedermayer]

I don't finish my wooden tools. As needed, I may lubricate the soles of planes with camilla oil, but seldom the wooden planes.

Pam

[Dave Anderson NH]

With the tools I make for sale I use several finishes. Mallets (carvers style) use only BLO and wax. Marking knives, awls and some of the bowsaws use Waterlox Original Finish. Hammer handles use BLO. Other bowsaws use shellac. remember that this is all commercial and for looks plus durability.

Personally all of my own personal use tools use BLO and wax or wax only for the handles. I prefer the close to the wood feel. The down side is that they take more maintenence and the wood darkens more with age.

[Richard Niemiec]

With mallets I don't finish the head, but Watco and wax the handles. New chisel handles I wipe on some shellac, spit coat consistency.

[Bob Smalser]

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7483424/97909701.jpg

For open-grained woods like H. Mahog, I wetsand lubed with boat soup - 50-50 BLO-turps with pine tar and drier added, usually followed by Truoil wiping-varnish stock finish if it's a tool handle or Epithanes spar varnish of it's not. The pine tar darkens the pores and the linseed crystalizes to sparkle beneath the varnish.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/5305809/266297460.jpg

For tool handles I like Truoil because it's soft, water-resistant, UV-resistant, easily renewed without stripping, doesn't cause blisters like hard varnish does, has a silky-smooth feel and is easy to apply. Finger-applied, #0000 steel wool and a tack rag between coats for 6 or so coats. It'll also fill open grain by rubbing back to bare wood with the first coats.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/8081464/107307191.jpg

I also occasionally just power-buff in hard carnauba wax like after repairing fine pipes, which would also work OK on tool handles you didn't want a permanent finish on. I try not to smoke them any more, but there's decent money in repairing them after hours. Lotsa old timers won't have a finish on tool handles because of blisters, but after a couple weeks unused in a damp climate, the grain raises and you're worse off than before. That's why I prefer wax or Truoil.

[Ken Werner]

I like using shellac and wax.

[Jim Nardi]

I like shellac for plane handles with several coats wiped on then a couple coats of wax. I've given hammer handles a tried and true finish from LV wouldn't do that again. It stinks whenever your hands get a little sweaty.

[Graham Wilson]

Thanks all. I think I'll give BLO & paste wax a try.

[Derek Cohen]

This is Shellawax cream (a mix of shellac and wax) - rubbed on and then burnished with a cloth wheel.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Articles/Building%20a%20jointer/Rebuilding%20the%20tote/Jointerrebuild9.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Marking%20and%20Measuring/MarkingknifeandawlsetinJarrah2.jpg

Sometimes a little BLO and wax:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/Dovetailchisel1.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Chisels/OBMC1.jpg

On the other hand, I have a plane from Jim Krenov, and it has no finish at all.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Planes/Krenovshavings1.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Bob Smalser]

Shellac is a good handle finish...it's easy, pretty, fairly weather resistant and renewable. No UV resistance however, if you work outdoors.

But the reason I use oil-based gunstock finishes isn't just because they are weather proof, but because they are compatible with oil pigments from your local art supply store. Umber, burnt umber and sienna can be mixed to any color to match wood and are used to hide repairs between coats of finish.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/9131162/266910305.jpg

This Disston #12 handle was given two new horns a couple years ago, including the entire lower horn section complete with double ridge. If it had been stored in a heated shop instead of a shed you'd never be able to see the glue lines and pigment feathering you can only faintly glimpse now in strong sunlight at high resolution. Indoors even now you can't tell it was repaired at all.

[Hank Knight]

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7483424/97909701.jpg


What is it?

EDIT - A guess: A wench handle in it's holder?

[Bob Smalser]

A winch handle in it's holder?

Exactly. Simple boat carpentry.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7711190/139932221.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7711190/139929543.jpg

[Hank Knight]

[QUOTE=Bob Smalser;625456]Exactly. Simple boat carpentry.

That's very nice. When I first looked at it, I thought it awas some kind of woodworking tool, but it's a sailing tool. Nothing is prettier than nice brightwork on a sailboat. Love the brass wench and hardware.