Let me get a few more under my belt and I'll probably gift some. These handles will need a home and I would rather see them getting used than in a box in the workshop.
What are you using as a finish, I like that. I prefer oils and waxes to keep them natural and rich looking, not shiny and plastic looking.
They have no finish on them. They are just stained. I am leaning toward oil when I start to finish them. I like to "feel" the wood. I do like a little bit of sheen though. I'll keep you posted. Have you used linseed oil on any handles?
Linseed oil will work, but has a lengthy drying time. I prefer to drop mine in a jar of Teak oil (prior to setting knot) for a couple of days, remove, wipe to dry; then once well dried (a coupe of days followed with a rough cloth) I rub down with a couple coats of Howard's Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish and Conditioner and buff. Very easy to rejuvenate once in a while with Howard's. This is just my process to keep a natural old time look, not the only way, but I like to keep them with a vintage, but ready to use look.
Interesting...never though about using carbide on wood. Is there an advantage of using such a hard material on wood?
Well, it certainly means that you don't have to sharpen/put an edge on it so frequently. Some woods - ipe, various ebony species, cocobolo, bocote, padauk, etc. - are surprisingly hard and will dull tools quickly especially if you do a lot of turning.
I received a Star lather catcher head in today . I was going to rob the spring out of it for another razor but it turned out to nice to part out so I made a walnut handle for it tonight. I had to straighten out the razor and then polish it up. I just think a lather catcher looks better with a wood handle. Before and after pictures. Razor with the metal handle is the one I need the spring for.
