Flashpoint,
After you get it dried, I mean good and dry.....that is going to make the wood dry brittle. Means you can't whip it up and down without it breaking. All my wood rods, hawk and knife handles get this fix. After I finish staining, burning or whatever treatment they get and are dry. I soak them. I get a 48" long 3" diameter PVC pipe, cap off one end (seal glue) and cap the other end with a screw off/on cap. I fill this tube with a mixture of 8 ounces of transmission fluid and add white kerosene to make the tube about 3/4 full. Add in the rods, handles what ever other wood items you want done. I put plumbers tape on the cap threads and tighten and lean the tube so the contents get completely soaked with this mixture. I soaked for about 4 to 7 days and tip back and forth to swish contents and keep liquid mixed. When I felt the process was well done, I'd remove the mixture to a white storage plastic (kerosene Container for future use). I'd wipe soaked rods and parts with rags and set out to air the fumes from the rods. They now have an oil soaked process and after they air out an oil based finish can be used, if desired. They also will have some flexibility to minimize cracking and won't soak up moisture.