I've made several knives that have steel blades and wooden handles - top one is oak, bottom is Padauk. Epoxy is what the knife kit makers tell you to use, but both steel and wood need to be cleaned with acetone before applying Epoxy.
If you have not tried it, you might look at getting a buffing wheel and some rouge. The Padauk shines up like a billiard ball after buffing with the rouge.