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+-- Thread: Making a London Pattern Saw Handle (/showthread.php?tid=6331475)
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Re: Making a London Pattern Saw Handle - Isaac S - 04-08-2013
Looking good, Justin. It's so much fun to take a log and turn it into something so refined. In my opinion, American beech really deserves a closer look than most people give it. When plainsawn it can be a little, well, plain. But when it's quartersawn just right, those flecks can look beautiful.
For finish, I really like TruOil. The picture below is air-dried American beech, with several coats of TruOil. I lightly steel wool between coats to knock off any dust. No sealer or anything else was used on this. Applied by hand, and any excess wiped off with a cloth. It's best, however, to put it on very lightly, especially on the second and third coats. It's almost impossible to put it on too thinly, and if you wipe it off after it becomes tacky, you get a lot of lint in it.
Dom, I believe that the handle you show was one that I posted. It came off of a Richardson saw plate, but it turned out that the handle was not original to the saw. Just a side note, and it doesn't really matter.
Re: Making a London Pattern Saw Handle - henrypig - 04-08-2013
Very nice approach - following your idea, I would likely bore out the nut holes before bandsawing the outline too. Why didn't I think of that?
Re: Making a London Pattern Saw Handle - JustinTyson - 04-08-2013
I'm with you 100% on the virtues of quartersawn beech - it is a beautiful and underappreciated wood. Sounds like I will be getting some Tru-Oil to finish my handle. I've heard of it, but never used it. What kind of finish is it, exactly? The finish on your handle turned out beautifully.
Heck, the whole thing is gorgeous. I'm very happy with my handle, but it's nowhere near on the same level of refinement as that handle. I have the most difficulty around the lamb's tongue. How do you get into those tight corners to shape them so precisely?
Oh, and you should be expecting to ship an order of sawnuts to Mississippi here shortly. I tried to make my own out of some random brass stock that I found in the plumbing department, and I now see the value in the sawnuts that you offer
More on that experience to come 
Re: Making a London Pattern Saw Handle - Blacky's Boy - 04-08-2013
I think that TruOil is a lot like Danish oil. Its texture and smell reminds me of Watco Danish oil finish.
I think that you can still get that big bottle of Truoil on Amazon.com for about $12
Re: Making a London Pattern Saw Handle - Isaac S - 04-08-2013
The description on the bottle says it is based on linseed oil.
I use a slitting file to define the shape, and then just use sandpaper to refine and smooth it all out.
Re: Making a London Pattern Saw Handle - Todd O. Cronkhite - 04-08-2013
Re: Making a London Pattern Saw Handle - Corneel - 04-09-2013
Count me in as another fan of QS beech, and the london pattern handles as well. And they only improve with age when the wood becomes darker.
Beautifull handle Isaac.
Re: Making a London Pattern Saw Handle - Window Guy - 04-09-2013
I haven't made any Saw Handles yet, but am, however i have used Tru - Oil ( used on Gun Stocks ) on refinishing a couple old ones I have and that makes a great finish. I think you will like it, and Amazon is where I bought my bottle.
Steve
Re: Making a London Pattern Saw Handle - Blacky's Boy - 04-09-2013
Here we go:
Birchwood Casey Tru - Oil Gun Stock Finish
32oz bottle for $15.24
Re: Making a London Pattern Saw Handle - Martin S. - 04-09-2013
Great thread!
I'd love to be able to try this someday.
Thanks for all the pointers.