Lacquer Paint for this One?

[Alum of Potash]

Attached are two pix of a Vie-Long wooden-handled brush that I sadly dipped in water too long, so as to break-in the knot (didn't read the B&B wiki fine print about not doing this with a wooden handle). The result was that the wax finish immediately began to lift and flake off (first pic). Wanting to pretty much save both the knot and handle, I've removed the remaining wax and most of the stain using steel wool up through #000 (second pic). Areas at the knot and details in the handle still have a faint trace of stain, but I think I'm ready to stop now so as not to lose the details or knot with further sanding. One idea I have had is to use lacquer paint to refinish it, like a Semogue handle, but lacking an industrial capacity I will probably have to settle for something more home-spun. So perhaps I could paint the overall handle a lighter color with a wide brush (I find that the dark finish or dark wood next to the dark horse hair isn't the best combination for starters), followed by dark detailing with a narrow or spot brush at the knot and the less-sanded areas in between the details. An artist friend says that lacquer paint is hard to use and rather thick, and if using it, that it would be best to paint the handle with a flexible (sable?) brush while the handle spins on a turntable. Or, if I could determine the exact center of the base of the handle, perhaps I could drill a pilot hole with a nail and use a variable power drill to turn the handle while painting. Anyone with experience or advice to offer here? Bleaching the wood might be another possibility, if that would be possible.

 

[shaverjoe]

If you are game for occasional upkeep and have some patience, I would simply oil your handle. You could use pure tung oil, though it would require multiple applications, the first couple cut with lacquer thinner to aid in penetration. This finish would take 4-5 weeks to cure. You could then wax the handle by hand as needed with a mineral oil/beeswax combination with something like George's Clubhouse Wax. Again, it would require occasional upkeep but is very easy to apply and the waxing only takes a minute or two.

 

[Alum of Potash]

If you are game for occasional upkeep and have some patience, I would simply oil your handle. You could use pure tung oil, though it would require multiple applications, the first couple cut with lacquer thinner to aid in penetration. This finish would take 4-5 weeks to cure. You could then wax the handle by hand as needed with a mineral oil/beeswax combination with something like George's Clubhouse Wax. Again, it would require occasional upkeep but is very easy to apply and the waxing only takes a minute or two.

Thanks for your suggestions. I have used repeated coats of walnut oil on a HJM wooden-handled cheapie in the past, and this seems to have worked well. The main problem I have here is that the color of the wood as given (or even as it was stained) comes too close to the color of the hairs themselves. I would like to lighten the handle as a result, so paint or perhaps a colored stain would seem to be called for prior to applying the finish.

 

[shaverjoe]

Walnut oil is another good choice forva drying oil. Should only take about 5-7 days to dry.