Stain for curly maple knife handle?

[asabai]

I am making a couple of knives from Green River blanks. I want to make the handle with curly maple scales, and would like to know what kind of finish would bring out the curl and still stand up to being washed frequently.

Another question that I have is where to get a counter sink for the rivets?

 

[paulvallandigham]

A good marine varnish might be the best thing to use. If you have a good gunstock finish, or BLO, or tung oil, all of them will give you a durable finish that can withstand many washings, too.

 

[tom hargrove]

tru -oil is the best and the rivets can be found at dixie gun works

 

[BillinOregon]

Rusty: One method for countersinking I saw way back somewhere was to find a box nail with head the same size as your rivet head. Then file a notch in the the top of the head of the nail sloping toward the direction the drill turns. To countersink, you put the nail through the hole in the scale and the tang, chuck ithe point in a drill, and pull the drill "bit" into the scale instead of pushing it. Easier to show than explain, but it is a simple method.

 

[asabai]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Please write more suggestions if you have them. I made my own countersink for the first knife I made, but it didn’t work out well, so I was hoping to find one I could buy. I might give it another try though.

 

[Goldhunter]

Do a search on the forum for stains and finishes on rifles/ stocks. All will work for you. Some that have been mentioned are the very good LMF stains and finish, the ongoing experimentation with vinegar stain, using Lye to bring out the grain, etc. My last knife handle was finished with Tru Oil. Very nice durable finish.

The nice thing about knife handles is that they are small and it you really mess it up, you can make a new set a lot faster than a new stock. :wink:

 

[Walks Alone]

I've use a lot of exhibition grade fiddleback, birdseye and burl maple for projects, and consider the aniline dyes (not the water soluable varieties) the very best at bringing out the color contrast of the wood while not plugging the depth of the figure like stains do. Just mix in a catalist to whatever strength you want it. A little goes a long ways (as in drops per pint/quart of catalist). Finish of choice over it (I prefer a 100% pure tung oil finish built up over several coats followed by pure white flake carnauba wax).

I use a forstner bit that cuts a flat bottom hole for flush mounting cutlery rivets. Took some doing to find the right size to modify though.

 

[Birddog6]

I normally use Dangler Stains or Fiebings Shoe Dye for the maple, and Tru-Oil on the finish. Do not use Tung Oil as it is Not waterproof & eventually you will have a cloudy finish if you wash the knife allot.
Glue the handles on with Devcon 2000 epoxy when you mount the handles. Sand/roughen the handle steel before applying the epoxy. Clamp them while drying.
As for the rivets & the drill bit, go to [url] www.texasknives.com[/url] and they have the rivets & the proper forstner bit for the rivets, etc. Keep in mind you have to sometimes adjust the length of the rivet if it is too long for the thickness you are putting it into, and you shorten Both parts of the rivet. Don't forget you are countersinking the rivet & you must compensate in measuring for that also.

Good Luck !! :thumbsup:

 

[Lead Chucker]

I think you meant:

www.texasknife.com

You might also give their step drill bits a look - it's another way to go.