Tom Veatch wrote in message . ..
On 8 Sep 2004 09:33:06 -0700, wrote:

snip

I have one other question. At some point, the handle was finished
with some sort of varnish, which was cracked by the time I got it, so
I sanded it off. Would you recommend putting some other finish on, or
leaving it alone?

Again, I'm looking for durability and ease of use, not
"collectability". Although I wouldn't mind hearing "Hey, nice saw."
:-)

Not "recommending" one way or the other, but what I did with my old Disston
handles was sand them down good which had the advantage of not only taking off
the old finish but also seems to make them feel even softer and better in the
hand. Then, I soaked them overnight in BLO - handle and BLO in a large freezer
bag with the air pressed out. Wiped them down, let 'em sit for a while, rubbed
them down again, replaced them on the saw. Looks fine and feels great in the
hand.


Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS USA

How about acetone instead of BLO?