Sinew and Hickory

[MLombard]

Ya..ya don't use the 5 Min Epoxy..ya use the slow curing...I believe it remains more flexable than the 5 Min also.

[sadiejane]

so how do ya knock the shiny off these finishes once applied on sinew?

[PatM]

Any minor abrasive will dull the gloss. A scotch brite pad works well or synthetic steel wool in  various grades.

[footfootfoot]

Yeah Scotch Brite pads are the diggity bomb. Go to your local auto parts/ body work store and find scotch brite in various colors. If memory serves Maroon is Fine, Grey is XFine and White is XX Fine.  Great stuff.

Here is a link to 3M
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Manufacturing/Industry/Product-Catalog/Online-Catalog/?PC_7_RJH9U520GE3E02LECETDQGLE0_nid=8XXSKBX771beH55CPWS904gl

[sadiejane]

have used steel wool(0000) to knock the shine off tru-oil on wood and rawhide.
but not on sinew. just dont wanna mess up the sinew.
but the hide glue(knox) is a bit shiny already so....

[blackhawk]

0000 steel wool is too fine to mess up the sinew and it works just fine to dull your shiny finish

[Pat B]

When you use Massey finish as a finish for a bow I really don't think the strength of the epoxy is a matter as long as it is flexable. If you get good coverage it will seal the bow like other finishes. I use 2ton epoxy that comes in a double syrenge but I have only used it a few times as a bow finish. I don't like the way it applies. I do use it to seal cord wrapped bow handles as a sealer and adhesive.  Also, I've never measured the ratio between the epoxy and thinner. I mix the epoxy well then add the thinner(acetone or alcohol) to the consistancy I want it to be.
  The orininal Massey finish that was developed by Jay Massey use a specific brand named epoxy and a special solvent as thinner. I would guess that not very much Massey finish these days are what Jay had originally made...but I also don't think it matters.
  To remove the shine from Tru-Oil or Massey finish I do a quick spray of satin poly. Lots less work than an abrasive rubdown and IMO more durable.

[MLombard]

Pat..is the Epoxy and thinner of the Orignal Massey finish mentioned in one of his Books somewhere?

[Pat B]

It is mentioned somewhere but I don't remember where. It was before one of his last trips down the Moose John. Jay flipped his boat on that trip and didn't find his sinew backed bow for 2 or 3 days and it still shot as well as before.

[MLombard]

I guess that says alot about the Finish he used.  Flipping the boat or not, the conditions faced in Alaska alone with a Sinewed Bow says alot.

[Pat B]

For years Jay used French Polish(linseed oil and shellac) on all of his bows and he lived and hunted Alaska most of that time.

[John D]

I use Tru-Oil on all my bows.
  It isn't water that is the problem with hickory or sinew/glue, it is humidity. As the wood breaths it takes on moisture that has saturated the air. This moisture increases and decreases as the humidity rises and falls. The wood has to breath or it will dry rot. So with a finish you are trying to slow down the hygroscopic rate, not eliminate it.
  A combination of shellac and linseed oil makes an old standard bow finish called French Polish. I think you add them an ingredient at a time and many times to build up a good finish.

Pat B,
when you say "add them an ingredient at a time" do you mean to alternate applications of shellac and Linseed oil? or do you mean there is a particular order to mixing the ingredients before application?  You're last comment about French Polished bows used in Alaska sparked my interest. 
Related: When is the best time to finish a bow?  Tiller, shoot in, then finish?  Please advise.

Thank you!

[Pat B]

I have never used French polish but read about in some of the old archery books. I believe it is done alternately, hand rub the shellac then hand rub the linseed oil. I don't know what order to start with either if it matters at all. One main problem with thin kind of finish is you have to constantly replenish it until you build up a good protective layer.

[footfootfoot]

I only French polished once. I finished a small table. The great thing about shellac is that when you build up the layers slowly the finish becomes very resilient, much more so than a heaping gob of shellac.

The linseed oil is a lubricant as much as a component of the finish.  It's a very complex and difficult task and I'm sure anyone intrepid enough (i.e. crazy) to mess with sinew and hide glue will absolutely love it.

Here's a link to a good article that explains the process and underlying mechanical theory in great detail

http://www.woodfinishsupply.com/GuideToFrenchPolishing.pdf