Thread: Choice of finish for Saw Handles.

Hi Stewie,

Which kind or kinds of shellac do you prefer? I've done all of my saw work with Saram button-style purchased from http://www.shellacshack.com/. I've got to get some more, prices are down this year.

Cheers,
Rob

Hi Rob. The following is the brand of shellac I use.

https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/.../item/MS-TF.XX


Stewie;

Originally Posted by planemaker

Hi Rob. The following is the brand of shellac I use.

https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/.../item/MS-TF.XX


Stewie;

Ouch! they sure are proud of that stuff. Shellac Shack and shellac.net are right around $30 + / lb.

I'm not a sawmaker but I am a bit of a saw enthusiast and collector. I occasionally restore older saws and, when I do, I use 3-5 coats of oil and then carnauba wax applied by hand and buffed using a lathe-mounted swansdown wheel.

I've never used shellac (in any application) but I'm interested in giving it a try.

I'm a long-time french-polisher, so I know what goes into a good shellac finish on a piece of furniture - a lot of hard work! But for small objects like saw handles, I can get as good an effect with a shellac-based product called 'Shellawax' (I don't suppose our sponsor will mind getting a plug ). It's a mixture of wax & shellac with an emulsifying agent that makes the wax miscible with the alcohol solvent - nothing mysterious about it except that it works amazingly well. I started using it way back, on lathe-turned handles, just as a 'quick & dirty' method of putting some sort of finish on them, and was impressed not only by the quality of the finish, but how durable it is. So when I got serious about making saw handles I tried it on those. I rub in a few coats with a small piece of cloth formed into a pad, then buff it off with a cloth wheel to get the warmth required to bring up the polish. It's an easy finish that takes very little time, the effect is very tolerable and it's quite durable. The saw in front is my daily user dovetail saw which was made about 5 years ago, and the two behind it are newly finished: 3 D_T.jpg

My handles get a waxing about every blue moon but that's it for maintenance. It may seem expensive for a little bottle of finish, but a small amount goes a very long way, so the cost per item is just a few cents. It works best on hard, fine-grained woods, but other than that, there are no problems that I've discovered, yet.

Cheers,

Hi Ian. Does the Shellawax have a shelf life.

Stewie;

Originally Posted by planemaker

Hi Ian. Does the Shellawax have a shelf life.

Stewie;

Dunno, Stewie, I buy it in the small bottle, which lasts me anywhere from 6 months to a year, so I've never worried about it going off. I'll check the bottle tomorrow to see if t has a 'use-by' date....

Cheers,

I recommended Shellawax on another forum where Stewie posted the same data.

I've been using it on handles for years. Wipe it on and buff off on a mop on the drill press. It sets with friction heat. The finish is very much like a hand rubbed oil and wax, but very durable (and easy to repair, if needed). What I like is that it is clear and does not darken some woods as oil will do. It is scratch resistant compared to shellac.

The down side is that you must seal the bottles as it does dry out in time and cannot be rejuvenated in the bottle. I purchase small bottles rather than large ones.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Thank you for the feedback Ian & Derek. I will stay with using shellac with my saw handle work.

regards Stewie;

While we're talking Shellawax, I also use it for these purposes. Tool handles and small turned items. I find that it looks and feels great, and I haven't had any problems with longevity. I also just had a fantastic experience with their customer service. Last night I had my bottle sitting next to the grinder. I swung the gouge I was sharpening around to grind the wings of the flute and nudged the bottle into the other wheel of the grinder, putting a hole in the bottle. Totally my fault. I emailed UBeaut about it, asking to buy (at my expense) a new, empty bottle. Not only are they going to replace it for free, but they're also covering the postage! I couldn't have asked for better customer service or a better product.

http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/show...ands-Shellawax

http://www.academia.edu/4981557/Surf...dified_shellac

http://www.thewoodworks.com.au/shop/...500ml?vmcchk=1

Originally Posted by planemaker

http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/show...ands-Shellawax

http://www.academia.edu/4981557/Surf...dified_shellac

http://www.thewoodworks.com.au/shop/...500ml?vmcchk=1

Those look like pretty nasty reagents. High potential for neoantigen production (chemical allergens/MCS) and will likely be lung / skin / eye irritants.

Originally Posted by rob streeper

Those look like pretty nasty reagents. High potential for neoantigen production (chemical allergens/MCS) and will likely be lung / skin / eye irritants.

Dunno, Rob, I looked up the msds for the compounds listed in the article linked to, and they are listed as toxicity category 3 or 4, which isn't all that serious (the higher the number, the lower the toxicity). As far as allergenic potential goes, someone, somewhere, will always react to a chemical that doesn't affect others, so prudence is always recommended - wear gloves and work in well-ventilated areas! Or wait until it's been around & well-used by others for 50 years without any nasty effects showing up.....

Cheers,

Its doubtful there would be a need to add a shellac hardener for saw handles.