# newbie oiling handles



## obtuse (Oct 14, 2011)

I have a dumb question. What is the preferred product for maintaining the appearance of unstabilized wood handles? Is there some type of wax I should buff it with? Like bee's wax? Should I treat it like a cutting board and use mineral oil/bee's wax. Should I rub it with tung oil periodically? I'm just worried that as the seasons change the wood might crack or something worse. How often should I treat the wood? I can't really tell if it's getting dry, like I would a cutting board.


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## tk59 (Oct 14, 2011)

I don't do it regularly but if I've washed the handle a few times, esp. with soap. I will soak it in oil for a day or so and then finish with beeswax.


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## GlassEye (Oct 14, 2011)

I have been using walnut oil and beeswax mix on my handles and sayas. Looks good and does as intended.


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## JohnnyChance (Oct 14, 2011)

I use mineral oil and beeswax. I have 2 containers, one with the wax and oil mix, and the other just has a rag that I use to apply the stuff. Once the rag is saturated it rarely needs any added to it. I wash my knives a lot at work with very hot water, so it is pretty easy to tell when they start to dry out. Usually I just give the handles a rub with the rag after I am done sharpening them.


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## DwarvenChef (Oct 14, 2011)

JohnnyChance said:


> I use mineral oil and beeswax. I have 2 containers, one with the wax and oil mix, and the other just has a rag that I use to apply the stuff. Once the rag is saturated it rarely needs any added to it. I wash my knives a lot at work with very hot water, so it is pretty easy to tell when they start to dry out. Usually I just give the handles a rub with the rag after I am done sharpening them.


 
I wanted to make a batch of mineral oil and beeswax, what is a good ratio?


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## apicius9 (Oct 14, 2011)

DwarvenChef said:


> I wanted to make a batch of mineral oil and beeswax, what is a good ratio?


 
... And has anybody tried adding carnuba wax to it?

Stefan


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## zitangy (Oct 14, 2011)

apicius9 said:


> ... And has anybody tried adding carnuba wax to it?
> 
> Stefan



H I use Howard's Butcher block conditioner as it contains Bees wax and mineral oil. Rated food safe. IF this is not an issue they have for furniture.. a premix of Mineral oil, bees wax and carnuba wax. I like to add tung oil too form time to time..

Personally I prefer to use carnuba wax which comes in a block and on a buffer machine. I Use the Beal BUffing system. They sell the complete kit ~ wheels and adaptors less the motor.. Had fun doing it. The system can be used for polishing anything depending on teh wheel/ adaptor... Just learnt of a new adaptor called.. "power ball" which you can attach to a portable hand drill to polish anything you want... I see it alot on you tube for polishing mag wheels. thinking using it on blades.... just a thought..

Have fun..

rgds
D


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## Twistington (Oct 14, 2011)

i use this: "Osmo 3032 Satin-matt" but it dryes slow. :/


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## TB_London (Oct 14, 2011)

I have made a 50:50 beeswax mineral oil, and a 40:40:20 carnauba:bees: mineral
The carnauba wax mix needs to be warmed a bit first or used with a polishing mop to get enough heat from friction, I'm thinking of melting some back down and thinning with beeswax to see if it will go on more easily


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## obtuse (Oct 14, 2011)

thanks for the suggestions everyone. I think I'll get a big block of bee's wax from woodcraft and make make my own concoction.


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## mr drinky (Oct 14, 2011)

Yeah, I would just mess around with it. I've tried mineral, tung, walnut, and orange oil along with bees wax and carnauba. With plain ho wood handles, the mineral oil doesn't give any color really, but orange and especially tung will give a little bit of color. Before doing the oil thing though, I would recommend sanding the handles down too. Nothing like a nice smooth, oiled handle 

k.


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## Mike Davis (Oct 14, 2011)

Anyone use Tru-oil? It contains tung oil, mineral oil and a few other things. What i like about it is after sanding and a few coats of that, it seals the surface of the wood as the tung oil hardens. Don't use veggie oils! They go rancid after a month or so!...don't ask how i know....


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## Mike (Oct 14, 2011)

Mike Davis said:


> Anyone use Tru-oil? It contains tung oil, mineral oil and a few other things. What i like about it is after sanding and a few coats of that, it seals the surface of the wood as the tung oil hardens. Don't use veggie oils! They go rancid after a month or so!...don't ask how i know....


 
I'm not sure how much concern there is, but most oils use heavy metals to hasten their drying time. The only oils I use are boiled linseed oil and walnut, though truth be told, they take a long while to dry.


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## TB_London (Oct 14, 2011)

Also, on another forum when I suggested oiling ho handles I was told that it would ruin the handle. Reason being that Ho is used because when it gets wet the grain rises improving grip on the knife, which does make sense if you use knives with wet hands- thinking mainly of Deba


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## tk59 (Oct 14, 2011)

DwarvenChef said:


> I wanted to make a batch of mineral oil and beeswax, what is a good ratio?


I just stick beeswax and some mineral oil in the microwave and basically melt it together. The beeswax won't penetrate a whole lot so if you wash your handles a lot, you'd use more mineral oil. Otherwise, you can use almost straight beeswax. I finish with something like 20-30% beeswax but it varies.


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## mr drinky (Oct 14, 2011)

TB_London said:


> Also, on another forum when I suggested oiling ho handles I was told that it would ruin the handle. Reason being that Ho is used because when it gets wet the grain rises improving grip on the knife, which does make sense if you use knives with wet hands- thinking mainly of Deba



Interesting, but that's no fun. Then you can't play with oils and stuff  I've never had problems gripping my handles. Maybe pro cooks have wet hand a lot but because I always have a rag handy for wiping, I almost never have really wet and slippery hands. 

k.


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## SeanRogerPierce (Oct 14, 2011)

I use camellia oil for my handles and my cutting board. Works well, so far.


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## Eamon Burke (Oct 14, 2011)

TB_London said:


> Also, on another forum when I suggested oiling ho handles I was told that it would ruin the handle. Reason being that Ho is used because when it gets wet the grain rises improving grip on the knife, which does make sense if you use knives with wet hands- thinking mainly of Deba


 
Most wood does that. After sanding down a handle, I polish it up to a nice grit, clean it, and spritz it, and leave it to air dry, and buff it again. Gets silky smooth...the kinda thing you rub on your upper lip to feel it. Ok well I do that.


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## add (Oct 14, 2011)

apicius9 said:


> ... And has anybody tried adding carnuba wax to it?
> 
> Stefan



Stefan,

That is what I use on my handles and Dave's board. Works great for me.

Food safe, smells great (at least to me), water insoluble, and leaves a tactile grip.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnauba_wax
http://chemistry.about.com/od/foodchemistryfaqs/f/carnauba-wax.htm


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## zitangy (Oct 14, 2011)

tk59 said:


> I just stick beeswax and some mineral oil in the microwave and basically melt it together. The beeswax won't penetrate a whole lot so if you wash your handles a lot, you'd use more mineral oil. Otherwise, you can use almost straight beeswax. I finish with something like 20-30% beeswax but it varies.



after mixing in a container, I put it it is a dish with just recently boiled water and stir the "cocktail" and use it when it is warm.. When it cools it usually becomes pasty or less viscous. The container shld have a lid so that the cocktail can be used for the next round...

have fun...

rgds


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## Justin0505 (Oct 14, 2011)

TB_London said:


> Also, on another forum when I suggested oiling ho handles I was told that it would ruin the handle. Reason being that Ho is used because when it gets wet the grain rises improving grip on the knife, which does make sense if you use knives with wet hands- thinking mainly of Deba


 
Very interinteresting! Thanks for sharing! id notice that happening on an unoiled handle and it worried me, never realized it easy SUPPOSED to o that.

As for what i typically do: sand,coat w/mineral oil till it stops immediately absorbing, then wrap w/ paper towel saturated w/more mineral oil and wrap it all up tight w/ plastic wrap. In 24hrs the towl is dry and the wood is well oiled. Finish W/ warm board (bee's)wax.


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## kalaeb (Oct 14, 2011)

Mike Davis said:


> Anyone use Tru-oil? It contains tung oil, mineral oil and a few other things. What i like about it is after sanding and a few coats of that, it seals the surface of the wood as the tung oil hardens. Don't use veggie oils! They go rancid after a month or so!...don't ask how i know....


 
I use Tru-Oil often, it has become my favorite, I find it takes better to the dense oily woods like gidgee, ironwood, and cocobolo. Everything else I have used with those woods leaves them tacky. I use it in conjunction with the Birchwood Casey wax and it creates a great finish.


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## EdipisReks (Oct 14, 2011)

DwarvenChef said:


> I wanted to make a batch of mineral oil and beeswax, what is a good ratio?


 
start with lots of oil and little wax and add wax until you get the consistency you want (you'll have to let it cool a few times to check). i don't have a set ratio, but i know when i have it how i want it.


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## iceman01 (Oct 16, 2011)

kalaeb said:


> I use Tru-Oil often, it has become my favorite, I find it takes better to the dense oily woods like gidgee, ironwood, and cocobolo. Everything else I have used with those woods leaves them tacky. I use it in conjunction with the Birchwood Casey wax and it creates a great finish.



I use a 80/20 tung oil orange oil mixture. The orange oil acts as a solvent and enables a deeper penetration of the wood, plus the wood doesn't lose its haptic properties.


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