# wa handle maintenance



## guyskr (Oct 10, 2015)

I guys,
I just got my first wa handle knife, a SS heiji gyuto with a burnt chestnut handle.
Is there anything I need to do to keep the handle safe from water, beside some mineral oil?

Thank you in advance:doublethumbsup:


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## daveb (Oct 10, 2015)

The burnt chestnut might be the lowest maintenance wa handle available. Just talk nice to it occasionally.


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## guyskr (Oct 10, 2015)

Cool thanks, so just some mineral oil?
so is this one - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000R9ZDOM/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 is ok?
It's the only brand I found in my country.


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## daveb (Oct 10, 2015)

That would work fine. And it won't need it often - mostly cosmetic. My understanding is that in Europe, food safe Mineral Oil can be found in pharmacies. Also fine.


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## guyskr (Oct 10, 2015)

Cool!
Thank you a lot for the quick answer


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## pjotr (Oct 10, 2015)

IKEA have food safe mineral oil at a good price.


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## krx927 (Oct 10, 2015)

pjotr said:


> IKEA have food safe mineral oil at a good price.


Exactly what I wanted to post...

And that bottle will last you for years.


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## guyskr (Oct 10, 2015)

Ok, I'll sure check IKEA and the pharmacies


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## Asteger (Oct 10, 2015)

Some people also use beeswax around the tang, a stiffer way to seal up that part.

I really wouldn't worry, though. Wa handles aren't designed to be water-shy. There's also the idea that when water penetrates the handle, and the tang rusts some, the expansion, etc, makes things stronger.

I'd also say, if you want and no big deal if you do, you can sand the handle from time to time, for example if you find the horn ferrule and wood become misaligned.

I like the idea that wa handles are designed to be used and maintained, and easily replaced if needed, not the inalterable main attention-getter of a knife, like flashy western handles sometimes are.


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## zeus241129 (Jan 3, 2018)

Straight to the point explanations &#128077;&#128077; thank you sir


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## andur (Jan 3, 2018)

I used to oil my handles but years have shown they are much nicer without oil. Much better grip and stays clean etc. So I don't oil mine anymore.


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## zitangy (Jan 13, 2018)

Asteger said:


> Some people also use beeswax around the tang, a stiffer way to seal up that part.
> 
> I really wouldn't worry, though. Wa handles aren't designed to be water-shy. There's also the idea that when water penetrates the handle, and the tang rusts some, the expansion, etc, makes things stronger.
> 
> .



I see a need to seal the tang slot opening on wood securely so that water does not keep getting in and rust quietly thru the years.

on better quality knives... its all sealed up properly and the gap of the predrillled holes are filled with wood filler which i believe is porous and may not be a good idea if you are working with bloody food items... ( hygiene reasons) thus a proper tight seal may be a good idea .I seal it permanently with a bit of epoxy or sugru

On ho wood handles, the holes are pre-drilled, they simply push in the red hold tang tip which in the process turns the tang black, from carbon and the burn in process thru wood ( more carbon) makes it tight... most probably on the top and bottom (view from top of knife) but not the sides of the predrilled holes


I do think that they burn in process is so simple and yet so ingenious...

hv fun Z


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## inferno (Jan 13, 2018)

The best thing I have found to preserve wood, and completely waterproof it is "Pure Tung Oil" from Liberon. (dont get crap "wood oil" that mixed with linseed oil)
Its oil from the chinese tung nut tree. Its completely food safe.

It polymerizes and forms a completey waterproof impregantion of the wood. and it doesnt yellow like linseed oil. 
I mix my oil with 50% acetone the first 3-4 applications to make it penetrate very deep into the wood (but white spirit/naphta will work too), 
since the molecules are very small with acetone, and acetone is one of the safest real solvents (we make acetone in our bodies).
then I apply it maybe 10 more times, once a day, non diluted.
Then its done and you can almost completely forget about it for long long time.

Its also used on stones to make them shiny (but not sharpening stones of course).


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## patrickkelly671 (Apr 3, 2020)

pjotr said:


> IKEA have food safe mineral oil at a good price.


do you have to piece it together like a jig saw?


DB Edit: Dude, New member's first post should be under New Member Intro. Then you come back and be funny under long buried threads..........

See you over there.


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