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Author Topic: Stains  (Read 5208 times)

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Offline Lee Lobbestael

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Stains
« on: May 26, 2011, 07:40:58 pm »
What are some of your guys' favorite stains for bow? I know different woods stain drastically different. Any pictures would be cool!
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Offline sailordad

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Re: Stains
« Reply #1 on: May 26, 2011, 07:50:04 pm »
personally i hardly ever use stain
once i get to that point i just want to get it sealed and call it done
thats an unneeded step by my standards
besides i like the natural look of the wood
but thats just me  ;)
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Offline Ifrit617

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Re: Stains
« Reply #2 on: May 26, 2011, 07:50:45 pm »
I like to use fiebings alcohol based leather dye and tru oil finish. Try oil is expensive but makes for a stunning finish.
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Offline Josh

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Re: Stains
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2011, 08:03:46 pm »
i like using different ritt fabric dyes mixed with denatured alcohol.  they dry in like 15 minutes and you are ready to put the finish on.  I will see if I can russle up some pics.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2011, 08:16:42 pm by Josh »
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Offline Josh

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Re: Stains
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2011, 08:12:05 pm »
here's some.

red and black ritt dye mixed with denatured alcohol and tru oil.







brown and black ritt dye






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Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Stains
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2011, 08:18:30 pm »
My favorite by far is osage stain, made from boiling osage wood chips in water and then letting it boil down to a thick stain. I use stain only on red oak board bows really, but it gives it such a nice color, if ya double it ya can get a real nice hue.
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"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Elktracker

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Re: Stains
« Reply #6 on: May 26, 2011, 08:28:04 pm »
I really am starting to like the charcoal stain on white woods.

Josh
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Offline jonathan creason

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Re: Stains
« Reply #7 on: May 26, 2011, 09:45:05 pm »
I like the look of walnut hull stain.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Stains
« Reply #8 on: May 26, 2011, 10:04:48 pm »
I'm with you Josh(Elktracker). That is my favorite stain for whitewood and hickory especially. I have used Rit Dye with alcohol and Fiebings leather dye but prefer no dye on osage and other woods that darken with age.
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Offline Elktracker

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Re: Stains
« Reply #9 on: May 26, 2011, 10:08:50 pm »
Hey pat I mix mine with water or I have mixed it with the sealer I use how do you apply it? I was just thinking there may be a better option aside from water?
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my friends think my shops a mess, my wife thinks I have too much bow wood, my neighbors think im redneck white trash and they may all be right on the money!!

Josh Vance  Netarts OR. (Tillamook)

Offline aaron

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Re: Stains
« Reply #10 on: May 26, 2011, 11:31:50 pm »
ooh, good topic.
I just discovered vinegar + steel. just pop a wad of steel wool in some white vinegar, wait a couple days and you have a nice grey stain that makes white woods look weathered- like the grey color of old cedar shingles, sometimes produces a reddish grey- don't know why yet.... This stain darkens with exposure to sunlight and with age...
Josh, and others mention charcoal stain- what's that?

in the photo, from top to bottom
sitka spruce stained (all these had a couple coats)
sitka spruce unstained
vine maple and braintan stained
vine maple, part with "regular" minwax type stain and part no stain.
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Offline Hrothgar

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Re: Stains
« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2011, 12:25:11 am »
The last couple ash and hickory bows with Minwax Red Oak Stain. the ash especially takes it well. Sorry no pics at the moment.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Stains
« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2011, 01:01:03 am »
Josh, the last few I did I used bear grease. I have used linseed oil and I've used turpentine and hand rub it in.   I have done it with water but water lifts the grain.
aaron, I use finely ground charcoal and hand rub it into the wood with oil.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Arrowind

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Re: Stains
« Reply #13 on: May 27, 2011, 01:48:12 am »
I like using fiebing's leather dye and rubbing alcohol because it looks good, dries fast, and I feel like I have more control over how it's going to look.  I have used minwax wood stain a few times and I like it but not as much as leather die. I haven't tried other options yet....
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Offline Stretch

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Re: Stains
« Reply #14 on: May 27, 2011, 03:47:52 am »
Quote from: aaron on May 26, 2011, 11:31:50 pm
ooh, good topic.
I just discovered vinegar + steel. just pop a wad of steel wool in some white vinegar, wait a couple days and you have a nice grey stain that makes white woods look weathered- like the grey color of old cedar shingles, sometimes produces a reddish grey- don't know why yet....

FWIW I've never finished a bow, but I've done a whole lot of custom furniture finishing. 


The stain you mention causes color change in the woods when the iron oxide reacts with the tannins in the woods.  The strength of the reaction is determined by the tannin content in the wood.  Woods like oak and walnut usually contain a lot of tannin so they produce quite a change.  The finish is a common finish for mission style furniture makers and I'm told that if you pretreat your wood with tannic acid you can get a stronger (darker) reaction but I've not tried it mysellf. 

One thing to remember about dyes is that most of them fade with UV exposure and your beautiful, bold colors end up being pastels over time.  There are newer metalized dyes that are much more fade resistant.  I prefer Transtint myself and they can be mixed with water, alcohol, paint thinner or oil for application.  Pigment stains are much more fade resistant but have a tendency to hide the grain more than dyes.  Most of the Minwax stains are a combination of the two. 
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Mark
Lindale, TX
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