How to deal with the handle.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

We get these about once a month and I think it's helpful if we repeat the advice here for customers.

Hi, Susan,

This past Saturday I received the Masakage Yuki Petty I ordered. The blade is great, but I have issues with the feel (surface) of the handle and wonder if you might suggest remedies.

The handle feels like untreated, raw wood. It has been sanded, but doesn’t feel finished and I imagine that moisture or wet food product can be absorbed into or discolor it. This is the first knife with a handle of this type I’ve ordered, so maybe this is normal. Can you recommend steps I can take to smooth it out and seal or wax it. If so, please let me know which sandpaper to use and which wax or sealer would be best. If you think of other steps, please let me know those, too.

Thanks,

Jonathan

[ChefKnivesToGo]

This thread has the same discussion about a Tojiro unfinished handle.

https://www.chefknivestogoforums.com/vi ... .php?t=433

We sell lots of our handle wax to customers and it works well on handles and cutting boards. It's made with bees wax and mineral oil and it's food safe.
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/chwoco.html

[Bluenoser87]

I just coated a few unfinished handles with Tru Oil last night. It looks pretty good so far and was pretty easy to do. Tru Oil seems a little more permanent and low maintenance compared to some of the other options out there.

[Bob Z]

Wasn't able to get Tru Oil in Ca til just few weeks ago so started off using Minwax Wood finish. These are under $5 while the Tru Oil was about 8 at walmart. These two give a more durable permanent finish than using oil/wax type finishes.

I didn't care for the light colored Ho handles so started off with Cherry Minwax, then switched to Walnut as the darker color seemed to take better and was a bit richer.
Tape the ferrule first with some masking tape (blue stuff works best) then prep the surface.
I applied it with a piece of paper towel and did a light thin coat. It will soak in by the ferrule/handle juncture and at the bottom edge of the handle where the end grain is so you might need to add a bit more there.

After day plus of drying light sanding and apply second coat which should be enough.

Tru Oil is just an easy to apply clear coating. I found it at the sporting goods/gun area in Walmart. The coating feels a bit more slippery than minwax and it dries faster also while the Minwax was more semi gloss. I put two coats of this one the knife in the forefront.

Foremost handle is cherry stained Minwax with Tru Oil finish, rear handle is two-3 coats of minwax walnut.

[cedarhouse]

I wonder how something like this would work: https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catal ... and-finish

I've not used it on handles but I have used it on desks, knife blocks, and drawer organizers.


What I have used in the past is a paste of mineral oil and bees' wax, basically the Boo's board butter stuff. It isn't permanent but it should help repel moisture.

[Lepus]

That Watco oil is excellent for handles. I have used it before.

[GreenbergWoods]

There are several options. If you like, You can contact me and I can give you my full recommended sanding and buffing process for the best quality handles

As for finishing, evaporative coatings like lacquer will be very weak and flake off with handling.


You could use an oil finish, or if you like I have been producing my UV resistant polishing wax for woods that also retains color. Feel free to send me an email about it.

[Hiroshima]

It’s the wood on masakage knives.... you can toss a finish onto the handle but any finish with a film will cause you to loose the ‘feel’ of the wood.

I’m going to re-handle both of my masakage’s.... and I think this will solve the issue you describe.

I’ve used watco danish oil before but don’t love the yellow effect it gives on the Ho wood on this knife. Bees wax works OK, darkens the wood, and doesn’t last very long... may a few weeks with moderate use.

[Bluenoser87]

Wasn't able to get Tru Oil in Ca til just few weeks ago so started off using Minwax Wood finish...

I found it at the sporting goods/gun area in Walmart.

Did you find this at a Walmart in california? Just curious if the ban has been lifted. It’s pretty easy to find online

[miles717]

I like a few coats of Tung oil. Seems to seal it but allows some wood feel.

[Jeff B]

I use Tru-oil. Easy to use, looks great and more permanent than mineral oil and wax so less maintenance.

[Radar53]

+1 from me on the tung oil. There are a number of good wood treatments & there's a fair bit of good info that's already been posted previously. The tung oil one is a bit more involved so if you decide to go this way come back or pm me and I will run through the process.

[Wjhunt]

I am curious about Tried & True oil. It’s food safe , no metallic dryers, etc. I have never used it so please comment about it if you have.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

Every time I see Tung Oil I think toungue oil.