How do you take care of wooden handles?

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you need to apply it in thin coats. it takes about a day to dry.

the first coats i simply keep it wet until it stops soaking in more oil. wipe off all oil from the surface. then leave for a day then repeat.

the last coats should be thin otherwise it takes a long time to dry.
 
inferno said:
you need to apply it in thin coats. it takes about a day to dry.

the first coats i simply keep it wet until it stops soaking in more oil. wipe off all oil from the surface. then leave for a day then repeat.

the last coats should be thin otherwise it takes a long time to dry.
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I wiped off excess oil, but still took a very long time to not feel tacky. I was working with 100% tung oil, didn't thin it with anything.
 
for the first 3 applications. especially the first one i like to mix it 50/50 with one of those solvents above.
 
inferno said:
for the first 3 applications. especially the first one i like to mix it 50/50 with one of those solvents above.
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Cheers! Yeah, I don't have any solvents and couldn't use them anyway since I was working in an enclosed space. Specifically used 100% tung oil so I didn't need solvents. I used the Watco Tung (contains solvents) on our coffee table, but it was smaller and near a window.
 
RDalman said:
I dislike parrafin oil on handles because the few times I tried the handles felt like they sweated oil sometimes and I felt like the wood took dirt easily.

So I like curing oils- birchwood casey tru-oil, danish oil, or boiled linseed.
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Thank you for your comment ( I love the feel of the handle from my Dalman gyuto I bought a few weeks ago), which of the mentioned oils would you recommend me to get that's fairly easy to get from a swedish vendor?

Is there any difference in end results with the different oils you mentioned?
 
Hardening oils like linseed, tung and mixes that use them like danish oil, tru-oil or teak oil will protect the wood, but will produce a hard layer between the wood and your hand. These oils are great if you want to keep the colors of the wood vibrant for years. So your ironwood, dyed blocks and rosewoods will keep looking fresh.

On the downside, some people prefer the natural feel of wood and dislike the hardening oils. You can get around that by mixing it with a compound to help it penetrate the wood then brushing it with 0000 steel wool after it dries. That way you get the protection without the feel.

Oils like mineral oil will protect the handle, but will cause it to darken with time as the handle is also getting the oils from your hand.

Personally for my knives like that I use olive oil — when I coat potatoes or vegetables to roast and have excess oils on my hand, I pick up a knife and rub it in.
 
I finish them the same way as my gun stocks, boiled linseed oil, they don't have the plastic feel that you get from Tru Oil which contains polyurethane. The only downfall is that it has to be re-coated every so often but because of no heavy buildup its very easy to re-coat, it also gives the lighter woods a yellow cast.


Check this out right around the 7min mark.
 
Bear said:
I finish them the same way as my gun stocks, boiled linseed oil, they don't have the plastic feel that you get from Tru Oil which contains polyurethane.
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I don’t think that is correct, polyurethane is made from plastic. From what I understand, Tru oil uses hardening oils and resins mixed with spirits to help penetration. I think it also has something to aid with faster drying.
 
JoBone said:
I don’t think that is correct, polyurethane is made from plastic. From what I understand, Tru oil uses hardening oils and resins mixed with spirits to help penetration. I think it also has something to aid with faster drying.
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Your right it doesn't, for some reason I thought it did, my apologies, it does seem to be a much thicker finish. A BLO finish gives me a good excuse to clean up my handles every so often, just a touch with 1500 and I'm good to go.
 
With the Herders, who are steamed, I use wax, wrap them in cling film and keep them a few days in a warm place.
 
TruOil is great, provides a lasting durable finish. It protects the wood from moisture and oils/grime from hands and inhibits the wood oxidizing and darkening over time. It is also easy to re-apply, if needed.
 
Some notes here: mineral oil diesn’t dry. It is made from petroleum. I have no idea why its used on wood involved in food prep. Since it doesn’t dry it absorbs flavors and whatever else contacts it.

For natural oils that actually cure you have flax oil (linseed), walnut oil, tung oil and maybe some others. Pure oils take forever to dry, particularly walnut oil. Boiled linseed oil and thd like have drying agents (toxic) added and other chemicals. Danish oils, and even ‘tung oil finish’ like waterlox are not oils, they are a type of varnish. Anything with resins is a varnish and will build a film on the surface as JoBone says. Actual oils don’t build a film easily and are low sheen and make the wood look great. They soak in and the surface hardens and lasts a while.

i think inferno gave lots of good advice. Thin the oil with mineral spirits for first coats, reapply until it stops soaking in (45 min or so), then wipe off excess and let dry. Add more coats if you want to build a film. Too thick of an initial coat gets sticky, particularly if it doesn’t have drying agents. Thinning the oil makes it less likely too get sticky.

Heating a pure oil to the smoke point makes it polmerize and dry faster. This happens when you season cast iron. I don’t think this is a good idea for a wood finish unless its s factory process.
 
For those looking for a completely natural, non-toxic durable finish, I once found a product made from tung oil, linseed oil, beeswax, and orange oil for a solvent. You could supposedly drink the liquid. I bought a 5 gallon container and still use it. I even used it on wood floors. The company is out of business, but its a good concept. Orange oil smells a thousand times better than mineral spirits.

Most wood finishes are supposedly non-toxic after they dry.

Regarding the discussion of coconut and mct oil, I suggest looking at walnut oil as an alternative since it actually cures.
 
This is an d thread, but I figured it is worth a shot.
Do you guys use the walnut oil they sell in the stores for cooking or the kind that says carrier oil? Thanks for any response?
 
SammieM said:
This is an d thread, but I figured it is worth a shot.
Do you guys use the walnut oil they sell in the stores for cooking or the kind that says carrier oil? Thanks for any response?
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For oil, don't overthink it. The laxative grade mineral oil in the pharmacy section works.
 
HumbleHomeCook said:
For oil, don't overthink it. The laxative grade mineral oil in the pharmacy section works.
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Thank you! I have some of that. It is liquid paraffin.
I was reading the thread and some other research which lead me to believe that the walnut might actually seal the handle as it polymerises. I’ve been using mineral oil for boards, which I imagine is just liquid paraffin that is overpriced and sold in a kitchen supply store…
 
SammieM said:
This is an d thread, but I figured it is worth a shot.
Do you guys use the walnut oil they sell in the stores for cooking or the kind that says carrier oil? Thanks for any response?
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I believe I used some spectrum refined walnut oil from the grocery store before on a table. It cured eventually but didn’t hold up long. I’ve heard others say walnut oil can go rancid. There are better options.
 
SammieM said:
Thank you! I have some of that. It is liquid paraffin.
I was reading the thread and some other research which lead me to believe that the walnut might actually seal the handle as it polymerises. I’ve been using mineral oil for boards, which I imagine is just liquid paraffin that is overpriced and sold in a kitchen supply store…
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Non-curing oils like mineral oil won't penetrate very deep but that's not a big deal, especially on handles. Just give them a wipe here and there.

Beyond that, I'd go to dedicated sealers/hardeners like Tru Oil. But, with porous handles like say ho wood, it isn't worth the time in my opinion.

I use mineral oil a lot.
 
Thank you all! I’ll keep with the mineral oil, unless I find some orange oil locally.
I had messaged Kisuke Manaka and he mentioned linseed oil or orange oil…
 
SammieM said:
Thank you all! I’ll keep with the mineral oil, unless I find some orange oil locally.
I had messaged Kisuke Manaka and he mentioned linseed oil or orange oil…
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Tung oil is all I use for finishing handles. It takes more time to apply in coats and let it fully dry, but it's basically bulletproof after it's done, maybe a refresh with whatever you use to condition your board if it starts looking too dull.
 
Polymerized linseed oil (Tried & True Original) or pure tung oil thinned with citrus solvent (Real Milk Paint Half & Half). Both are drying oils without toxic ingredients or petroleum byproducts. Apply a thin coat, allow to sit for an hour, then remove any excess. Give it a few days to cure. I've never felt the need to apply multiple coats on handles. Oil goes on twice a year, before the holidays in November and in the spring before grill/smoker season. I do the same with new sayas. For cutting boards, I've been trying a couple of heat-treated walnut oil/beeswax blends.
 
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