Finishing product to suit turned tool handles.

Hi,
I am about to turn up a bunch of wooden tool handles for various metal working tools I have made or I am yet to make.
These handles will all have copper ferrules.The handles need to robust and durable.
I'll cut them from a 25mm hardwood broom stick.

Given I am using the tools in a metalwork environment and my hands are dirty/greasy oily a lot of the time, I wish to finish the handles in a finish that will stand up to the task but look reasonably tradesman like.

I want to have a hard gloss finish.

Is there a product that meets my needs ?

Thanks

Grahame

A couple of coats of polyurethane should do the trick.

I tend to use boiled linseed oil for 2 or 3 coats. Easy to apply, quite durable and easy to reapply every 6 months or year to keep everything looking nice

For my tool handles I just use boiled linseed oil. One thing thou I don't expect this to stand the test of time. So reapplying is almost normal. If I.wanted a finish that I did not have to look after then I would finish in a poly based finish.

I've used straight beeswax on timber handles during the turning process, probably not high gloss though. I've just put a wax finish over a blonde shellac finish on a table top.
This finish consisted of beeswax, canauba wax, paraffin wax and mineral turps. You can buff it up to a high gloss.

I apply 2 coats of BLO and then let it dry.
Then using the same rag used for the previous step wet a spot with BLO and apply a couple of drops of shellac and rub that in.
Once dry repeat the previous step but this time use 4 drops of shellac.
Repeat again with 6 drops

For bigger handles increase the number of drops in each step accordingly.

Using this method the final finish is very tactile, it still has a smooth finish but has better grip that most other finishes.

I tend to use BLO on my turning chisels (woodturning) and I've also used shellawax

there is a suggestion that the shiny finishes may get slippery with a bit of sweat etc

Grahame,
I use boiled linseed oil and a bit of wax like a lot of the others but that is for woodworking tools. You would get a good hard finish from one of the floor finishes if you know someone with a bit left over. Looking back at times when files had wood handles they were mostly unfinished. I guess that was to help with the slippery issue.
Regards
John

As these handles are going to be used on metal working tools I don't think Pale Boiled Linseed is an appropriate finish.

I use Ubeaut Shellawax on most of my tool handles and I would suggest that would do a better job.

Rustins plastic coating

i use acrylic car clear coat on gearknobs for cars i work as a fabricator for a quid so my hands are always in a state of blackened oily grease the acrylic is smooth but also a bit soft not like 2 pak my hands grasp it ok

I'm with Big Shed. Shellawax is on all of my tool handles. If you have a drill press, buy a buffing wheel attachment for it, apply a coat of shellawax to the sanded handle, and then buff. Instant finish. No waiting time. Also, it will stand up to years of abuse.

Well I made a start and have found some what I think is 25 mm Tas Oak dowel.
It was in the steel rack and has some stains from the rusty steel but its only a practice. My mate gave me some carnuabra wax.
Crikey is it hard but softened alright with flame.


Not having a wood lathe I putmy handle piece in the steel lathe and it turned fairly clean with HSS. 200 grit paper sanded it up OK

I'll order some Shellawax off the site as no one seems to have it locally.

I have tried the Pale Boiled linseed oil on some shovel handles and it never seemed to dry.Ican't bear the touch of sticky handles -Urrghh!
Some pics when finished

Thanks everyone for your advice

Another option for you would be to use UBeaut's Hard Shellac. Once it has cross-linked it is moisture and heat resistant - it looks good and has a medium glossy finish that feels good in the hand. Here is a Blackwood handle on a flood damaged Titan chisel - finished with the above.

Attachment 371453Attachment 371454

Xanthorrhoeas
It looks a very nice chisel ,indeed.
Does shellac have a shelf life.?Do you buy in small quantities or do you a have a "handle day and do a batch at the one time.?

A question about your chisel? Other wooden handled chisels I have seen also have a ferrule at the striking end. Do you hit it or is or is this one and easing chisel?

I do like nice handles and have nearly an obsession against plastic handles and plastic fittings on good handtools . Plastic degrades and split just from the atmosphere.

Tool handles with plastic don't even need to be left in the sun to fall apart in your hands. I have a good quality junior hacksaw that did just that a few days ago. Possibly I can re handle that in hardwood and finish it like that.
Thanks
Grahame

For another time you may want to cosider one of the Livos oils, the Ardvos. It doesnt give you the gloss level that perphaps you are after however by working inbetween the oil layers and flatting the wax crystals in the oil, one can achieve a beautiful sheen level.
It has been used on the spotted gum pick handles of the infantry for years.

Clear spray lacquer works well. Resists oils, easy to renew and apply and it's cheap in aerosol form.

YOu could skip all these and just wipe your hands on the handle after a days work servicing one of the metal work machines :rotfl: they will look like ebony in no time.

Just a catch up fellers.

I saw some shellac crystals at Bunnings and bought some.
My poor efforts at turning Tas Oak and some unknown broken tool handles were hidden by the shellac.
It dries pretty quick and I am surprised at the hardness of shellac that if seems to resist my dirty hands fairly well.

Thanks