dpb wrote:
On 02/18/2016 12:51 PM, MOP CAP wrote:
On 2016-02-18 18:41:23 +0000, dpb said:

On 02/18/2016 12:13 PM, MOP CAP wrote:
I recently picked up some old almost all metal screwdrivers. The ones
with just the wood inserts in the handles. The wood is very weathered.
What type of treatment can I use to stabilize the wood in the handle?
Thanks,

Just surface weathered w/ a few cracks or is it "punky"???

Weathered with a few cracks.

I'd probably do nothing (other than keep them out of the weather )
than perhaps sand a little and oil, then.

As Ed says, you can fill but unless the cracking is so bad they're
actually going to fail or they're uncomfortable, a little checking won't
make any significant difference on the longevity and I tend to prefer
that stuff that's old with "character" keep that as much as can without
being anal about "reproduction" or "antique" status.

I've got a flat Stanley driver that just big enough to be more of a really
well made prybar that I like (got it from an old timer for a token amount,
then he died). It's old enough to be wood with a blue paint job. I use my
tools, so it's not going on a display case or anything, but what might be
a good way to seal it up and protect it just a bit so the paint lasts a
bit longer?

What did folks do back in the day, if anything with these tools to keep
them in good shape?

The plastic stuff we have is maintenance free, so "screwdriver PM day"
doesn't really happen around here too often.