How to make my handle look old
How can I make my new handle look old?
There are a few finishes you can use to do the trick.
Buy putting steel wool in vinegar you will get a rusty brown brew that will soak right into plain hickory quite well.
You can also use a number water based stains in varying colors.
You can also make your own. Place walnut shells in rubbing alcohol and this will adsorb into your wood well.
Most of these colorants will leave you with a darker handle but a flat matt finish.
To get a shine like years of use will give well you could just use your handle right. But you can also rub it with a block of your favorite wax and use a buffing wheel to get a lustrous shine.