Has anyone used linseed oil to bring out the grain on your wooden knife handles?
I have a fixed blade knife coming with walnut handles and supposedly the handles are kind of rough looking. I’ve heard that you can polish them up a bit and then use linseed oil.
I’d feel better hearing from someone who has actually done this before however! Anyone?
I have used linseed oil on various wood pieces over the years. It is just flaxseed oil, and commonly used for certain products - for instance it used to be used on wood baseball bats (not sure now). Linseed oil is not a permanent or waterproof finish, however, and you may need to reapply every so often - the oil will just soak into the wood and slowly dry. If the handles are rough, consider sanding them down with fine grit sandpaper first, before applying the finish. Also, to make waterproof I suggest using a polyurethane finish.
Most linseed oils contain heavy metals (like cobalt and manganese) as driers and you probably do not want to use them on anything that will have lots of contact with your skin or in food prep.
“Tried and True” wood finishes are all i use when finishing wood products that will come in contact with food. also they are less toxic in the application area (my cellar) , i dont worry about getting it on my skin while i am finishing a piece.
Pricey, but worth it. Dispose of used rags used in application properly, if you throw them in a big pile they can generate enough heat to combust and burn your house down.
I have used it on quite a few things. It is good for protecting carbon steel blades etc. It will protect timber handles, but it will make them very dark in colour and tends to wash out the grain pattern. I would not use it on good timber handles, only generic cheapies. Boiled linseed oil has similar qualities but tends to make a lighter coloured finish.
There are much better finish oils for the purpose, I would choose something else. Even regular kitchen olive oil is good, and of course is edible grade so ok on hunting knives used for dressing meat. I put some on a new knife with olive wood handle some time ago, and use it on my wooden chopping boards in the kitchen.
I can’t help feeling a good wax or purpose made finishing oil would be a better choice.
linseed oil leaves a residue and over time it becomes sticky
there are better alternatives like a danish wood oil finish
google wood oil treatments and i’m sure you’ll find the right solution
I’ve found that Tung Oil gives a really nice finish on walnut furniture that I’ve made. Shelf life isn’t the best,however, if you don’t have uses for it other than a few knife scales there might be considerable waste.
If you want to protect wood, an oil that will polymerize is better than other alimentary oils that will not polymerize. As mentionned, tung oil is one of the best (faster) to polimerize. You can also use lindseed oil for alimentary to have one without “bad for health” products. You can treat it (naturally) yourself to accelerate is drying / polimerization time.
My english and experience with this are to bad to explain it correctly, but you will find all explanations with a google search.
And if you are really concerned with your health, ask to the knife manufacturer which product( s ) he has used to treat the wood handle.
Enlan wood handles are treated with “something”, the untreated inside color and aspect is different than the outside, but I’m ignoring what Enlan has used. On EL01-D, it looks like colored “wax”.
I just question what kind of linseed oil you will be using. Generally, BLO or Boiled Linseed Oil is applied as a finish and preferred on surfaces that take alot of wear and tear such as handles on tools, gun stock, workbenches, etc. The reason for this as you suggested is that it is easily touched up (just adding another coat) or repaired (sanded down and reapplied). Finishes like varnish such as polyurethane (type of varnish) produces a film, although protective, is not easily touched up and almost troublesome to repair unless sanded back down to the wood which can be PITA.
The BLO is not really boiled per say and is an old term they used because back in the day they actually did heat up the oil to change its properties to promote drying. These days chemicals are added for that same purpose. Walnut is one of my favourite woods to work with. If you're looking for a finish that gives you the most natural looking, then oil is the way to go. Oil will generally give your wood a deaper colour (amber) hence giving your grain that depth. The only downfall with an oil finish is that it doesnt have much water resistent properties and isn't very protective like the film finishes. However on a surfaces like a knife handles, you know it's going to be banged up and eventually you'll have to reapply/repair it.
Middle ground. You can get the best of both worlds (close to that natural look and protective properties) by applying a varnish blend. The general mixture is 1 part oil (BLO), 1 part mineral spirits (or any type of thinner); and 1 part polyurethane. I generally apply it by an application pad (thin coats) instead of a brush. The danish oil like the one cheaplite suggested is basically a varnish blend. The reason I sometimes mix my own is that I can play with the mixture, adding more oil if I want more of an natural finish or more poly if I want more of an protective film and most importantly much cheaper.
Mineral oil from the drug store. Accepted for kitchen use wooden spoons, knife scales etc.
Like boiled linseed oil it will need reapplied every so often. Its what I use on my kitchen knifes.
I use nose oil. There is a chemical in the oil from the outside of your nostril that is only elsewhere found in the liver of mako sharks. This derivative was used by jewelers when watches had to be taken apart and each part lubricated. For tiny parts, many jewelers would just rub the side of their nose to finely coat these minute pieces.
While I’m watching TV I will rub nose oil into the wood until it brings up a beautiful golden luster in the grain. It also gives micarta a three dimensional glow.
Any of the “cooking oils”. I use corn oil and let the knives soak overnight. Corn oil doesn’t seem to be as sticky as vegetable oil. Household knives only for this. If I am doing a carry knife, then it’s a whole different creature. Sometimes I use 2 part epoxy, sometimes I use polyurethane finish, sometimes just several coats of MinWax. It depends on the intended use and how much "environment’ it’s going to see.
I would not use linseed oil on good walnut. On my muzzle loader and rifle stocks I used tung oil. If you apply it and hand rub it without a rag it heats up a little and it makes a difference how fast it cures. The wood grain will look much better with tung oil than linseed. If you are looking for a more durable finish then some type of urethane would probably work best but for a more classic look I would use rubbed tung oil. It takes patience and at least 3 coats. Real tung oil is different than the “tung oil finish” products. If you go the linseed oil route mix equal parts boiled linseed oil with turpentine and clear natural varnish. Mix well and let sit overnight then apply and hand rub till warm and dry. Let set overnight the buff with 0000 steel wool and repeat for at least 3 coats. Try it on any piece of hardwood and see if you like it before you do the knife. I would still use real tung oil myself.