Advice on refinishing a teak grip? pic
 

Hey all!

Need some advice on refinishing the teakwood grip on my thai darb. Varnish, oil, whats the best method? What would you do?

GlObe

I would use oil to feed the wood. The wood will absorb the oil and leaves the wood untouched. The wood will get a bit darker and probaly more shining.

I'm with Henk for not lacquering the hilt. IMHO old pieces deserve an old treatment whenever possible ;)

You can also buff after oiling. I found out that this not remove patina entirely, but the upper surface of the newer dirt will gone.

The other method used in traditional wood polishing is by using bone ash as the polishing agent (dry method). On this method, you will need to start buffing after you have a smooth surface, in Indonesia traditionally we will first use glass fragment upon raw surfaces (this will remove any patina), but when safety and convenience factor was concerend, a fine sandpaper will do.

Good luck with your project!

I'd use linseed oil if I were you, as already stated, it'll feed the wood and make it less brittle.
Just rub a bit on with the palm of your hand. Rub it 'till it feels hot, then buff it with a clean cloth.
If it soaks in and looks dull, repeat untill it has a nice dry polish to it.
If you want to make the oil penetrate better, cut it with turpentine. This helps the oil dry faster too.

Richard.