Talking about winter maintenance of knife handles – antlers, wood, mammoth teeth

During the heating season in the north, the room temperature of some friends’ homes has exceeded 20 degrees Celsius. This temperature is a test for wood, antlers, and mammoth ivory crafts, and there is a risk of warping and cracking. For handcrafted art knives, the handles of many works are also made of these materials, and the above risks still exist.

 

It is recommended that Johnson & Johnson Baby oil + plastic wrap seal the handle to hibernate and take it out when the spring is warm and the flowers bloom next year. Because it is too dry, the moisture and oil in the handle will be drained, causing gaps, warping, and even cracking.

 

The north is dry, and the natural stalks need to be raised in multiple trays. In the season when the heating is not turned on, more plates and more oil should be added.

Sand iron handle

Wood, especially the high-end mahogany series, is the favorite of some friends. They think that according to the principle of five elements, the combination of metal and wood is the most beautiful. The close contact between hands and wood will produce a feeling like a friend, rather than Like metal or Micarta, the temperature cannot be transmitted. Although this is only a psychological cognition, it makes wooden handle knives occupy a large part of the manual field.

Acacia wooden handle

In fact, the wood that becomes the handle of the knife has been carefully selected by hand-crafted knife makers. High-quality desert ironwood basically does not deform due to temperature changes and can be used by people from all over the world. This is also the reason why this material is popular in the world and enduring. Recently, some master cutlers have also favored acacia wood, which is also an excellent material. The rest include rosewood, red sandalwood, lobular sandalwood, etc., which can all be included in the large category of mahogany.

Sand iron handle

The maintenance of wooden handles can follow the following steps:

1. Gently wipe off the dust on the surface of the handle with a pure cotton cloth, be careful not to wipe with water.
2. Then start to wipe. Some woods are afraid of sweat and water. Try to wear cotton gloves and dip some professional oil to wipe carefully.
3. It can be stored in a special box when not in use. It is best to cover the box with cotton cloth to avoid scratching the handle by hard objects.
4. The storage environment should be at a suitable temperature and avoid direct sunlight; the environment should be clean and avoid too much dust. If it is in the north, keep it away from heat; if it is in the south, keep it away from humidity.

 

Mammoth ivory handle

The maintenance of antlers is like that of wood. Some full-keel knives like to use antler patches. North American musk deer antlers are the favorite of some masters. They have a warm effect. This material has excellent stability, but if the patch is too thin, it will warp, especially when the room temperature exceeds 20 degrees Celsius.

 

Antler handle

Even with the firm fixation of rivets, the law of thermal expansion and cold contraction still works, and some handles that are not stabilized enough will produce physical deformation, especially in the case where the room temperature is too high and it is very dry. It is recommended to apply oil evenly and seal it with a layer of plastic film. The combination of Johnson & Johnson Baby oil + plastic wrap can be used for reference.

Mammoth ivory handle

Mammoths belong to prehistoric animals that have long been extinct. They flourished 10,000 years ago. Some of the mammoth fossils discovered now are more than 1.2 million years old. According to William Henry’s official website, most of the mammoth ivory materials used today have a history of more than 10,000 years. Even after more than 10,000 years of stabilization, mammoth ivory handicrafts are still at risk of deformation if placed in a place where the room temperature is too high. A combination of grease and plastic wrap is still effective at keeping it in good shape.

 

Westinghouse Micarta Shank

Natural materials will produce color changes with the passage of time, producing a warm effect in the interaction with people. However, there are also some synthetic materials that can also produce this effect. The stability is much better than the above-mentioned natural materials, and they are not afraid of oil, heat, or cold. They are a good choice for lazy people. Currently popular are Micarta, synthetic resin, rubber and plastic, etc. Among them, Westinghouse Micarta comes from an insulating material produced by Westinghouse Electric in the last century. It is now expensive and is the favorite of some friends.

FR4 handle (glass fiber and epoxy resin composite material)

 

The handle of the mad dog is a kind of strange existence. It uses a composite material of fiberglass and epoxy resin. It is said that the handle of the mad dog can withstand the pressure of 500 million pascals and is super insulating. In theory, these synthetic material handles will not produce physical deformation, and do not require special maintenance, just normal cleaning and care.

 

The above is only for those who are particularly meticulous. For other customers, such as professional hunters and outdoor workers, the knife is a tool for use. They don’t care whether the blade has scratches, let alone the handle. Slight deformation, on the contrary, in their high-intensity and complicated use, there will be an interaction with the knife, making the knife smoother, and the contour of the handle will also be deformed during use, adapting to their use, they have long been familiar with the deformation of the handle Strange. What’s more, they can also adjust the deformation on the handle of the knife, and they think it is a pleasure to interact with the knife.

 

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