Refinishing a Wooden Handle

[Snargle]

G'day, gents. I'm working on another restoration project and I'm looking for suggestions on the best finish for a vintage wooden-handled brush.

Here's what I started with:

I've removed the old knot and sanded down the wooden handle to bare wood. I'd like to stain the wood a medium-brown (the grain is gorgeous and I want to keep that visible) and then apply some kind of permanent, waterproof finish. What would be the best product/technique to use? I was thinking of maybe a clear polyurethane, but I'm open to suggestions.

 

[cooncatbob]

Do you have a lathe or drill press?
The best way to apply finish to a brush is to put a mandrel in the brush socket and spin it, you could also use a dowel screw or hanger bolt.
As for finish I use "Man of War" Marine Spar Varnish cut in half with turpentine, I also add a small amount of Japan Dryer.
This is a thin slow drying finish, I apply several coats a day then put the handle under a lamp to speed drying.
When I've built up the finish I let it cure for a minimum of 4 days then I polish it on the lathe with micro-mesh pads and car wax.

 

[Snargle]

Do you have a lathe or drill press?
The best way to apply finish to a brush is to put a mandrel in the brush socket and spin it, you could also use a dowel screw or hanger bolt.
As for finish I use "Man of War" Marine Spar Varnish cut in half with turpentine, I also add a small amount of Japan Dryer.
This is a thin slow drying finish, I apply several coats a day then put the handle under a lamp to speed drying.
When I've built up the finish I let it cure for a minimum of 4 days then I polish it on the lathe with micro-mesh pads and car wax.

Thanks, Bob. Unfortunately, no lathe or drill press...hand tools only. Can the same method be used without the power tools? I assume I could just rub thin layers on with a soft cloth? Would it have to be sanded/steel wooled between coats?

 

[cooncatbob]

Thanks, Bob. Unfortunately, no lathe or drill press...hand tools only. Can the same method be used without the power tools? I assume I could just rub thin layers on with a soft cloth? Would it have to be sanded/steel wooled between coats?

You can do this finish by hand.
This isn't like lacquer where it's fully dry in a day and rub it out.
If you coats are going on smoothly you can apply multiple coat between rub outs.
I prefer light gray Scotch-Brite pads over steel wool.
I have a drying area in my indoor work where I have lamps to speed the process.

 

[Trenton]

I am looking at that finish and I don't think the wood is stained, I think it is a colored varnish. If you have ever seen a piece of furniture the looks like walnut but the wood is white/light where the finish is chipped or scratched. It would of been a tinted finish. I'm not sure what is available in varnishes, but do a search for H. BEHLEN® MASTER™ JET SPRAY AEROSOL FINISHES AND TONERS, Mohawk use to make a shading lacquer that would do the same thing. I would think that cooncatbob's method would give the most durable finish and if you keep on top of things you can touch it up when needed with a light sanding and a re-coat, the shading lacquer would not be durable enough, but it is a number of years since I did any wood finishing and new and more durable materials are coming out all the time. I would go to the places the supply the professionals not the local lumberyard. An aerosol can would do many brushes, take your brush with you there is a good chance you might get a better response, and they can see what you have.

 

[cooncatbob]

I am looking at that finish and I don't think the wood is stained, I think it is a colored varnish. If you have ever seen a piece of furniture the looks like walnut but the wood is white/light where the finish is chipped or scratched. It would of been a tinted finish. I'm not sure what is available in varnishes, but do a search for H. BEHLEN® MASTER™ JET SPRAY AEROSOL FINISHES AND TONERS, Mohawk use to make a shading lacquer that would do the same thing. I would think that cooncatbob's method would give the most durable finish and if you keep on top of things you can touch it up when needed with a light sanding and a re-coat, the shading lacquer would not be durable enough, but it is a number of years since I did any wood finishing and new and more durable materials are coming out all the time. I would go to the places the supply the professionals not the local lumberyard. An aerosol can would do many brushes, take your brush with you there is a good chance you might get a better response, and they can see what you have.

Mohawk still makes shading lacquers, I was a cabinet tech before the housing crash and didn't warranty repairs on modular (factory made) kitchen cabinets.
While some of my early handles were finished with lacquer it's not the most durable finish out there.
I inherited a Mohawk master repair kit from the design firm I worked at for 21 years and it has about 50 small jars of powdered pigments.
I use them mostly for tinting epoxy for filling defects in my burl handles, they can also be mixed with a variety of mediums to stain wood.

 

[Trenton]

Mohawk still makes shading lacquers, I was a cabinet tech before the housing crash and didn't warranty repairs on modular (factory made) kitchen cabinets.
While some of my early handles were finished with lacquer it's not the most durable finish out there.
I inherited a Mohawk master repair kit from the design firm I worked at for 21 years and it has about 50 small jars of powdered pigments.
I use them mostly for tinting epoxy for filling defects in my burl handles, they can also be mixed with a variety of mediums to stain wood.

Bob when I was into finishing which is far too many years ago Nitro-cellulose Lacquer was about the only way to go. I was just wondering what else might be on the market today. I do agree with you on the marine varnish, and "Man of War" was certainly one of the best. I do like the shading lacquer look, but it needs to be a far more durable product if it is going to be used on a brush.

Daryl

 

[Snargle]

Here's a picture of the brush sans finish/varnish/whatever. As I said, I stripped it down to the bare wood. It kind of looks like oak, but I don't see the typical oak end grain.

I'm thinking of a light honey brown stain with some kind of varnish...probably the marine varnish as Bob suggested. I think this is going to be an awesome looking brush when it's finished. I'm ordering some badger knots tonight from TGN...this one will probably get a 22 mm Finest Badger. If anyone has any additional ideas for finishing the wood, I'm all ears!

 

[Hex]

Here's a picture of the brush sans finish/varnish/whatever. As I said, I stripped it down to the bare wood. It kind of looks like oak, but I don't see the typical oak end grain.

I'm thinking of a light honey brown stain with some kind of varnish...probably the marine varnish as Bob suggested. I think this is going to be an awesome looking brush when it's finished. I'm ordering some badger knots tonight from TGN...this one will probably get a 22 mm Finest Badger. If anyone has any additional ideas for finishing the wood, I'm all ears!

+1

It will be an awesome looking brush. That turned out nicely. Good job.

 

[jwhite]

Here's a picture of the brush sans finish/varnish/whatever. As I said, I stripped it down to the bare wood. It kind of looks like oak, but I don't see the typical oak end grain.

I'm thinking of a light honey brown stain with some kind of varnish...probably the marine varnish as Bob suggested. I think this is going to be an awesome looking brush when it's finished. I'm ordering some badger knots tonight from TGN...this one will probably get a 22 mm Finest Badger. If anyone has any additional ideas for finishing the wood, I'm all ears!

Stain will work, dye will be better but it's the sort of thing you'll need a specialty shop or order online for. Stains contain pigment that sets on the wood and will gather in the pores and any scratches, dyes are in solution and penetrate. Don't use a tinted lacquer or varnish, any ware or ding will stick out like a sore thumb, there is a reason why it is on cheep furniture. Bob's recommendation will give you a good finish that will be attractive and withstand regular use, go with that.

 

[Snargle]

I finished this last week, but I just now got around to taking a photo of the final product. I used a wipe-on Golden Oak stain and finishing the wood with several coats of Minwax Wipe-On Poly. I spent much too much time searching for a local source of Marine Spar Varnish (as recommended by others) and decided that the Polyurethane was going to be adequate for the job. The knot is a 22mm Finest Badger from TGN, set with a 50mm loft. I've used the brush a couple of times already and I'm loving it as face-latherer (soft tips but nice backbone).

This was my fourth restore in the last month, so I think I'm going to give it a breather for a while and enjoy using these new toys (and also give my checking account a break!)

 

[cooncatbob]

I finished this last week, but I just now got around to taking a photo of the final product. I used a wipe-on Golden Oak stain and finishing the wood with several coats of Minwax Wipe-On Poly. I spent much too much time searching for a local source of Marine Spar Varnish (as recommended by others) and decided that the Polyurethane was going to be adequate for the job. The knot is a 22mm Finest Badger from TGN, set with a 50mm loft. I've used the brush a couple of times already and I'm loving it as face-latherer (soft tips but nice backbone).

This was my fourth restore in the last month, so I think I'm going to give it a breather for a while and enjoy using these new toys (and also give my checking account a break!)

Nice, Valspar has a dealer locater on their website.
http://www.valsparglobal.com/val/resident/dealers/

 

[TonyN]

Really nice job Larry!

 

[huck1680]

Well done Larry. I use polyurethane for my brushes and don't have any problems at all. Besides you can pick your finish.

 

[honed]

Lovely work on that brush!