Bocote turning handle

[Brent Grooms]

I am making a handle for a thompsons gouge that I recently recieved. I am using a really nice piece of Bocote and was wondering if any had some suggestions for a turning tool friendly (and Bocote friendly) finish?

Thanks!

Brent

[charlie knighton]

i have never seen a leather covered tool handle, but have seen leather driving gloves and leahter steering wheels, but this would not show the wood off

[Curt Fuller]

Bocote is such an oily wood that it can be difficult to finish with anything but an oil. I think something like tung oil or danish oil with a nice buff job would be the ticket.

[David DeCristoforo]

I never finish my tool handles. The "raw" wood provides a much better grip. As Cute mentioned, bocote has a lot of "resident" oil so by the time you have sanded it to 320 or 400 grit, it already has a pretty good "satin finish".

[John Keeton]

I have never used an exotic for a tool handle. While I am not allergic (at this point) seems holding a tool handle could certainly present an issue if one were highly allergic.

But, more to the point, I finish my domestic handles with a little BLO and shellac while on the lathe. I find that a very thin coat is just enough to give a little barrier to grime, and the shellac has plenty of friction to it for grip.

[Paul Douglass]

I use BLO applied with the lathe running. I put it on with my hand, let it get real warm. I apply several coats that way.

[David E Keller]

I use BLO and beeswax applied while still on the lathe.

[David Woodruff]

Bocote as a tool handle needs nothing. Sand to about 800 with the grain and buff. Buff periodically to remove the grundge. Colors will develop that are beautiful depending on mixture of light and dark. Bocote like other woods in the Dahlbergia family are naturally very oily, rosewood, cocobolo, African blackwood. I have not double checked this reference to specie but I have a feelin I will hear from someone. It is dang hard to be perfect but I keep trying.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I would put no finish on it. Sand to 320 or 400 and it is done.

[Andy Hoyt]

If your hands are in proper OEM condition, the recommendations above are probably just fine.

But what if they're like mine - arthritic and dry. Let's throw in neuropathy for good measure.

I expect that I'm not the only one here with these impediments to tool control.

My countermeasures include:

• Sand no more than 80 grit because it helps for positive tactile control.

• No finish because I see it as an unnecessary intermediary preventing me from contacting that handle.

• If the handle is store bought, I mount it, spin it up, and sand the finish off, right down to 80.

[Tom Sherman]

If your hands are in proper OEM condition, the recommendations above are probably just fine.

But what if they're like mine - arthritic and dry. Let's throw in neuropathy for good measure.

I expect that I'm not the only one here with these impediments to tool control.

My countermeasures include:

• Sand no more than 80 grit because it helps for positive tactile control.

• No finish because I see it as an unnecessary intermediary preventing me from contacting that handle.

• If the handle is store bought, I mount it, spin it up, and sand the finish off, right down to 80.

Not to mention OLD like a lot of us here.

[Andy Hoyt]

Not to mention OLD like a lot of us here.

That's actually what I said, Tom. Just used more words.

[Brent Grooms]

Thanks for all the replies. I wound up trying the bottle of shellawax that I had bought a while back.. I like the finish, thats for sure.

I will post pictures when I remember to stick the memory stick back in the camera

[Brent Grooms]

well finally got my memory stick in the camera instead of the computer...

Here is a couple of picts of the bocote handle as well as a spalted maple that I made for one of Dougs other gouges that I had to buy..