Blacksmithing
and Cutlery
by Gérard HEUTTE
|
|
Treatment of wood
|
Preparation
The treatment of wood will be usualy made after the operations of assembly, gluing,
shaping and polishing.
Once the final handle shape obtained, it is necessary to
give to the wood a correct completion. You can use
increasingly fine abrasives to finish with "3/0" or the "600" grit
(according to the type of paper used). It is possible to finish with fine steel wool.
The handles having in general round forms, it will be simpler to
use bands rather than sheets.
Fix the knife in a vice by the blade (protected).
Polish by a reciprocating motion of the band.
Beautiful round-offs are thus obtained.
Choice of the treatment
The treatment of wood is necessary to protect it. Indeed,
during the life of the knife, the handle will be in contact with
water, sweat... Without protection, the wood will end up
deteriorating.
The second aspect of the treatment of wood is of aesthetic order.
Some wood have a poor visual aspect. A treatment aiming
to sink it or emphasize its veining
will improve its aspect.
You can find several "traditional recipes". As it comes:
Linseed oil, walnut stain, permanganate of postassium, tea...
In order to determine the choice of such products, I have made some
tests. I prepared some plates of holly wood. These plates were
polished with paper 3/0.
The plates are marked by the number of small holes.
Then I applied the various treatments. The treated
plates will be bevelled behind to appreciate the penetration
depth of the products.
(1) Pilot plate. It does not receive any treatment.
(2) Linseed oil and Turpentine (50/50). Impregnation by immersion one week.
Made a good visual. The 7 mm thickness plate was impregnated at heart.
(3) Permanganate of potassium. The
central feature was obtained by a solution of 1 gram in 100
millilitres of water. The result is too dark. The
feature of right-hand side was made by adding water (roughly) in
the solution. The applications are made by soaking a cotton bud
with the solution and by passing two "layers". Made a good visual,
but very small penetration depth.
This solution (purple!) colour wood thanks to oxidation.
(4) Walnut stain. Direct
application of the product by soaking a cotton bud and while passing
two "layers". Good look and also there a very small
penetration depth.
In conclusion: Without hesitation, my choice is made on
the mixture
Linseed oil and Turpentine.
The visual result is correct.
The mixture penetrates at heart and will ensure an optimal
protection even with the wear of the handle. It is (in my
opinion) the best compromise.
The aesthetic aspects of the permanganate of potassium and
the walnut stain do not compensate for the very low penetration
depth...
Among the unsuccessful tests:
- Walnut stain in the mixture Linseed oil and Turpentine.
Not terrible, the miscibility of the walnut stain
in this mixture is almost null!
- Decoction of tea in the mixture Linseed oil and Turpentine. I have
made a test
with a spoon of tea in 150 millilitres of mixture heated beforehand.
And... Nothing of nothing, the tea falls at the
bottom. No colouring of the mixture!
Ideas for additional tests:
- Use of the products Permanganate, walnut stain, tea (with
water) by immersion of the parts.
- Search for a dye (preferably natural) miscible in the mixture
Linseed oil and Turpentine.
Treatment with the linseed oil
The handle should initially be prepared.
Delicately dab the surface with a wet sponge.
Then, remove water excess with an absorbing paper.
It is then necessary to let dry (1 day). This operation
raises wood fibres on the surface. You can repeat that
several times. Then sandpaper delicately with fine
steel wool.
I use a mixture, with equal parts of Linseed oil and Turpentine.
The Turpentine thins the linseed oil to
facilitate its penetration at the heart of the wood. Moreover, it
acts as a siccative.
I immerse the knife several days in this mixture. This is the
required time for a correct impregnation. For hard wood, like
holly wood or boxwood, one week is necessary.
Then, drying it outside will cause the oxidation
of the linseed oil, thus creating a protection film.
This drying can take several months. The odor (pleasant)
released will decrease gradually.
For a higher completion, you can pass again (after drying)
steel wool soaked with the mixture. The oil
excess will be sponged.
The Linseed oil and Turpentine mixture can be preserved a
long time in a hermetic bottle.
Here is the result (handle in hawthorn):
| | |