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Author Topic: Looking for finishing advice  (Read 1515 times)

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Offline Arrowind

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Looking for finishing advice
« on: October 07, 2011, 10:04:43 pm »
I'm working on a project for myself....I've been making quite a few for others and now I finally got around to making one more for me...

I want to make this one look old...really old.  I could really use some suggestions of what others may have done to make a bow look ancient.

Also I've been using polyurethane on my others and want to try something new and more natural.  Any favorites...suggestions? 

Thanks in advance! 
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Looking for finishing advice
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2011, 10:35:17 pm »
All I use is Tru Oil and Tung Oil for all my bows and arrow shafts. I buff the bows down with OOO steel wool to dull the shine. I love that stuff. Im unsure on making a bow look really old. Im sure somebody around here has some words on it!
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Offline Ifrit617

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Re: Looking for finishing advice
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2011, 10:51:16 pm »
I think to make a bow look old you have to go with a natural finish... Black walnut husks that are crushed and boiled down will make a sweet finish....
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Offline dbb

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Re: Looking for finishing advice
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2011, 11:14:02 pm »
A friend renovated some old furniture a couple of years ago  and he aged the wood he replaced with a diluted dark oak stain with some woodash and fine ground charcoal mixed in it.
It looked ancient and blended in just fine.

/Mikael
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Offline MWirwicki

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Re: Looking for finishing advice
« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2011, 09:28:56 am »
Soon enough Half-eye should send in a reply.  He uses natural finishes and his bows are beautiful.
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Matt Wirwicki
Owosso, MI

Offline Arrowind

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Re: Looking for finishing advice
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2011, 01:30:22 pm »
Thanks for the replies!  I really appreciate the help!

PEARL DRUMS:  I haven't  tried True Oil or Tung Oil yet but plan to at some point.....Is that a natural product?  I guess I could research that more.   I know a lot of people use it.  I've used minwax stain on one or two bows and have mostly been using a leather dye on the rest to get some color if desired... then to protect / make it more water resistant use several layers of poly.  I've thought of using linseed oil for that step but it just seems to take forever to dry... Again I do want to try True Oil as well.  Thanks for your recommendation! 

I am curious about finding a natural finish for that step that doesn't need to be reapplied each year...If there is such a thing. For example Bear grease would be awesome to use but my understanding is that it has to be reapplied...I'd like to avoid that if possible....

Ifrit617:  Thanks!  That's exactly the kind of Idea I'm looking for.  I like to idea of taking something natural and processing it in some way to use it like you've suggested.  I will definitely put that on my list of ideas to try.  Thanks!

dbb:   Awesome!  Another cool idea.  As mentioned above that is exactly what I'm looking for....I never would have thought of that.  ....what did he dilute the stain with?  was it water based or oil based?  Thanks!

MWirwicki:   Yeah...I've always admired Half-eye's bows.  I would certainly be interested in what he would recommend.  Infact the bow I'm making is a Mollegabet...


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Offline dbb

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Re: Looking for finishing advice
« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2011, 03:22:06 pm »
It was alcoholbased dye,or at least he used denatured spirit (methanol) to cut it.(i was there to help him move the things around when he did it)
He mixed the stuff in a bowl and applied with a brush.When it was dry he polished it with fine steelwool and put a leenseed oil/Beewax finish on top and it truly looked antiqe.

/Mikael
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