Plane handle finish

Karl · 28 Jun 2009

I'm about half way through the refurb of the No6 Bedrock, and have tackled the handles. One of them has a little damage, so I toyed with the idea of making new, but I don't have a lathe for the front knob, so decided not to bother and make do with what I have.

Anyway, I digress..

Having cleaned the handles up, what finish do others use when cleaning up an old plane? I was going to use an oil finish, but thinking about my other planes they all seem to have a lacquer finish, so maybe a varnish type product is more suitable?

I can see how an oil/wax finish would get grimy pretty quickly.

Cheers

Karl

neilyweely · 28 Jun 2009

I have used an oil/wax finish on handles I have made for planes in the past. They still look good, and I prefer the look of the finish anyway. But don't take my word for it, eh?

Have a little play about with some off-cuts from the handles and see what you like, maybe?

Sorry I couldn't just say "Yes, use blah blah and a bit of doodah." The man to ask is Philly. See what he thinks; maybe he'll read this and enlighten us both? :wink:

neil

Aled Dafis · 29 Jun 2009

I think that Philly uses a shellac finish, but I'm sure that he'll be along shortly to advise.

I'd go for an oil finish though, it looks good, it feels nice, it's easy to apply, doesn't crack or craze, builds to a lovely patina through use, and it's easily repairable should it be damaged. What more do you want from a finish (come to think of it, most of that's true for shellac also).

If it's good enough for Karl Holtey, it's good enough for me.

Cheers

Aled

Philly · 29 Jun 2009

My spider-sense is tingling........ :lol:

Karl - oil is great because it brings out the colour of the timber. So after doing your repair wipe on a coat of oil - it immediately blends it in. Then I use shellac to seal it and build up the sheen. And you can add the shellac almost immediately after the oil, too.
And if you hate it, just wipe the whole lot off with a rag and meths.

Hope this helps,
Phil

Evergreen · 29 Jun 2009

Time to put in a word for Birchwood Casey's Tru-Oil.

This is an oil based gunstock finish which has some kind of extra body in it which fills the grain quickly. It's very tough to withstand the knocks, dings and exposure to weather that gunstocks suffer. But if you need to repair the finish, it's just as easy as any other oil finish. Ideal for tool handles.

Most gunsmiths stock it.

Derek Cohen (Perth Oz) · 29 Jun 2009

Avoid an oil finish on Rosewood at all costs !!!!!

It will darken the wood and leave it blackened and lifeless. Rosewood (on Stanleys) is best finished with shellac and wax.

Regards from Perth

Derek