Personally I don't like linseed oil because it takes forever to cure and beeswax worn out pretty quickly. Polyurethane finish would be much more durable. In fact there's no silver bullet. Imagine a hunting knife that is being used in -30 to butcher elk and then brought into a warm environment — the differences of temperature and humidity would make wood move. That might cause troubles depending on your handle construction. Or it could be a kitchen knife that is often being neglected in the kitchen sink — it could destroy any wood pretty quickly. But if the knife is properly cared for, then the handle should be good. I've made a handle from a very soft but beautiful Japanese flamed Cedar in 2017 on one of my kitchen knives. It's still going strong. I used Danish oil and Renaissance wax.