brush finish

[enchanter03]

I'm toying with the idea of turning some new brush handles this weekend and was wondering how to finish them. What is the best way to waterproof the wood handle? I haven't purchased any wood for this yet, but I was planning on finding some sort of exotic hardwood locally.

Thanks for any advice

-Andrew

 

[enchanter03]

After some looking around I'm starting to think that a tung oil finish might work well for this. Any thoughts?

 

[Piff]

Sicknote mentions on page 2 of this thread how he finished an exotic wood handle. Hope it helps.

Regards.

 

[Captain Pete]

The only way to go would be to get some acrylic stabilized wood like what knife makers use for their handles. Most fine wood crafting stores carry blanks of the appropriate size for such projects.

 

[spindlecone]

CA glue works well but can be tricky to apply,google it.
What I do is finish down to 600 grit,raising the grain with water between grits.
Polish on the lathe with linseed oil cut 50/50 with lighter fluid and rottenstone.
apply several coats of Renaissance wax.
seal the knot hole inside with a Q tip and CA glue,set the knot,done.
Water penetration will not be an issue.

 

[enchanter03]

Maybe I'm getting myself into more than I bargained for. I don't own a lathe, but my father does so I was planning to turn them during my Christmas visit then finish afterward.

Has anyone worked with Tung oil? I thought it was supposed to penetrate the wood and become water resistant once cured. Obviously it is not as water resistant as the glue would be.

 

[huck1680]

I've been using Varathanes' Diamond wood finish in satin. It's their interior version and cleans up with water. I put 3 coats on my horn handles and have not had any problems whatsoever.

 

[Pkrankow]

I have been reading about a french polish with CA glue as a high gloss option with exceptional durability.

Phil

 

[Go West Young Man]

Hmmm, I'm thinking of re-doing my old Tweezerman brush (the original varnish is all peeling off anyways) and was just planning to sand it down, stain it a nicer color and then hit it with tung oil. Do you think that would be sufficient, or should I add any other steps?

 

[enchanter03]

Well, I have been a busy beaver this weekend. I turned 8 brush handles while visiting the parents. Now I just need to get some sort of waterproof finish on them.

What do you think of the results?

Bloodwood Style 1
View attachment 137865

Bloodwood Style 2
View attachment 137868

Walnut: Long handle and Ornate Style 1
View attachment 137869

Zebrawood Short Style
View attachment 137870

 

[spindlecone]

They look great,have never had much luck with bloodwood tho,everything I have ever used it for has cracked after a few days.
Maybe what I used use just to wet.

 

[enchanter03]

The bloodwood did have some cracks throughout the blank so naturally the handles some small cracks in them. I may try to rub CA superglue in them in order to stop or slow down the cracking. The zebrawood was actually my first experience on the lathe. They are too short, and I didn't sand them down as well as the others.