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Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: SveinD on May 04, 2011, 04:48:00 PM

Title: St Judes knife help!
Post by: SveinD on May 04, 2011, 04:48:00 PM

Ok, here's the problem!

I've been making a knife for St Judes, and it was looking really good.
I used Wenge and Bloodwood in the handle, along with spacers and some tinn-silver.
Because of the Wenge, I've had to apply layers and layers of Liberon Finish Oil to get an even surface.

I've done probably 7-8 coats, dipping and dripping, and from the last four I've been sanding some with 800 wetpaper,
then 0000 steel wool, and cleaning with a linen cloth before applying the new coat.
This to even out the "canyons" in the Wenge.

And it's all been looking good until now, when suddenly the coating turned matte and shows some cracks.
Here's a pic, so you know what I'm on about..

  (http://i.imgur.com/V4GEp.jpg)

What is wrong?

Thanks in advance for all your help!

EDIT! I Came up with a possible answer?
Right before my last dip, I changed my oil glass
'cause it was starting to get a lot of "hardened" pieces around the edges..
The glass I changed to was an old olive glass I had stored some Cocobolodust in,
and the explanation I have is that it must not have been thouroughly clean,
thus containing traces of vinegar or something?
Could that be correct?

Can this be fixed? How?
Is sanding it down, enough?

Title: Re: St Judes knife help!
Post by: kbaknife on May 04, 2011, 07:50:00 PM

I have no real solution right off the top of my head but what I would do right now is wait.
And watch.
Let it do what it's going to do for a few days.
It's possible you may have built up too many coats without thorough drying between.
Possible.
I don't know.
Maybe a reaction from the oil in the handle material.
I don't know.
Just wait a few days and see if it continues crazing.

(Really beautiful handle - by the way).

Title: Re: St Judes knife help!
Post by: SveinD on May 05, 2011, 01:38:00 AM

Thanks for the input Karl, I'll do just that!

Title: Re: St Judes knife help!
Post by: Ragnarok Forge on May 05, 2011, 01:57:00 AM

I would sand it down to wood and use very thin superglue to fill in the cracks.  Multiple coats and sanding will fill the cracks.  Once everything is flush use your oil coating on the wood.  Two coats of oil would be enough.

Title: Re: St Judes knife help!
Post by: SveinD on May 05, 2011, 05:13:00 AM

Quote

Originally posted by Ragnarok Forge:
I would sand it down to wood and use very thin superglue to fill in the cracks.  Multiple coats and sanding will fill the cracks.  Once everything is flush use your oil coating on the wood.  Two coats of oil would be enough.

I will try that tonight! Good idea with the glue, had forgot that option  :)
Thanks, SveinD

Title: Re: St Judes knife help!
Post by: FerretWYO on May 05, 2011, 09:48:00 AM

I used to be a finisher by trade and the only thing that i can think would cause that would be to add to many coats without enough curing time. make sure that you are keeping it warm and allowing enough time between coats.

I always sprayed and never dipped so I cannot speak on that exactly.

Title: Re: St Judes knife help!
Post by: SveinD on May 05, 2011, 10:33:00 AM

Quote

Originally posted by FerretWYO:
I used to be a finisher by trade and the only thing that i can think would cause that would be to add to many coats without enough curing time. make sure that you are keeping it warm and allowing enough time between coats.

I always sprayed and never dipped so I cannot speak on that exactly.

I mostly allowed for about 18 hours before re-dipping, but not always.. I might have redipped after about 5-6 hrs once, but I'll definately keep that in mind in the future!

I've sanded down the oil, and I think the wood look as it was before I started, Just waiting for my new batch of Danish over the weekend^^

Thanks for all your help, I appreciate it!