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,
CP

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"???

--

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.

On Thu, 18 Feb 2016 10:51:18 -0800, 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.

It depends on how pretty you want it to be. I have one screwdriver
built like that, and a meat cleaver that is similar. I used ordinary
hardware-store epoxy on both. They're probably stronger than they were
when new, but they're not the prettiest things in my drawer.

--
Ed Huntress

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.

--

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.

On Thursday, February 18, 2016 at 4:07:05 PM UTC-5, Cydrome Leader wrote:

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.

but what might be
a good way to seal it up and protect it just a bit so the paint lasts a
bit longer?

You might look up Boiled Linseed Oil / Crazy glue on the internet. It is quick, but may not last too many years.

Dan

On 02/18/2016 3:07 PM, Cydrome Leader wrote:
....

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?

We just did "flat Stanley" for the youngest grandson...

On a painted handle, I'd probably only add a wipe-on varnish after
cleaning...

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

Mostly nothing other than keep dry. I've several wood-handled
screwdrivers from grandfather that've been here on the farm since the
'20s or maybe even were original ten years prior to that, I don't know.
I remember using them from the time I was first big enough to get into
stuff...
....

--

I've found the plastic in X-lite tends to get oxide or is attacked with
a mold. I have sets of them that get gray and fuzzy. Not flaky.

I put them in a basket in my RF sweeping cem tank and some Simple green
or like. In a day they are bright and nice again.

I haven't seen the effect on anything but the x-lite brand. I suspect
a different plastic is used and that makes the difference.

Martin

On 2/18/2016 3:07 PM, Cydrome Leader wrote:
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.

On Thu, 18 Feb 2016 10:13:19 -0800, 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?

Clean them with soap and water, then let them dry. Then clean them
with mineral spirits. Each cleans different dirts/oils from them.

Then give them a treatment with one of the following wipe-on tung oil
varnishes: Waterlox Satin (my favorite), Watco, or (since it is about
all that stores carry any more, cringe) Minwax Wipe-On Poly (did I
really type that out loud?) sigh

I said to remove them so you can finish all sides and truly seal them.
2 coats will do it. More than that may cause the handles to get
slippery when your palms are wet. You want a sealer rather than a
thick film finish.

--
No greater wrong can ever be done than to put a good man at the mercy
of a bad, while telling him not to defend himself or his fellows;
in no way can the success of evil be made quicker or surer.
--Theodore Roosevelt

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,
CP


Kwik-Poly. http://kwikpolyllc.com/ It's a water thin two part epoxy.
Scuff the wood with some 220 or so to open the pores and brush on a few
coats, it will absorb into the wood. Let it cure for a few hours and
lightly scuff it to even out the finish. The wood will last a LONG time.

This stuff works great to seal fuel tanks as well as a host of other things.

--
Steve W.