« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS  (Read 8198 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline burchett.donald

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,437
PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« on: December 27, 2011, 01:07:02 pm »
   I have 2 doz. Douglas Fir shafts straightened and want to add some color to them. Wanted to know if anyone had some suggestions for a primitive stain or pigment that I could use before sealing them. Blackwalnut would be great but it's not available to me now. All suggestions from everyone welcome and thanks in advance.
                                    Don
Logged
Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

Offline Pat B

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 37,617
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2011, 01:52:37 pm »
You can buy natural pigments from Crazy Crow, Pine Hollow and other sources. You can also use Rit dye or unflavored KoolAid mixed with alcohol for dying or staining shafts and bows.
Logged
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline burchett.donald

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,437
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2011, 10:41:22 am »
How about tobacco and alcohol, anybody tried it? Ran across this idea while goggleing "primitive stain" It said to soak the tobacco in alcohol for 1 week and then strain. Probably would use pipe tobacco and not sweet sticky molasses filled chewing tobacco.
Logged
Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

Offline aaron

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,037
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2011, 01:05:05 pm »
vinegar + steel wool makes a nice dark grey. just let the mixture soak for a week, apply, and expose to sun.
Logged
Ilwaco, Washington, USA
"Good wood makes great bows, but bad wood makes great bowyers"

Offline Bevan R.

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,691
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2011, 04:00:01 pm »
I know this is not a stain...
But I have seen shafting scorched to change colors and given a mottled camo affect.
Logged
Bowmakers are a little bent, but knappers are just plain flaky.

Offline burchett.donald

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,437
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #5 on: December 31, 2011, 05:30:35 pm »
  Pat, Aaron and Bevan thanks for the ideas. Got on a woodworking site and they were using equal parts of ammonia and tobacco and was ready in 24hrs. for a deep brown color.
                      Don
Logged
Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

Offline Pat B

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 37,617
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2012, 01:46:06 am »
Donald, the cool thing about primitive archery is if it works for you , its good.
Logged
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline burchett.donald

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,437
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2012, 02:44:02 pm »
  The ammonia and tobacco mixture was a complete dissapointment, barely changed the color of the fir shafting. Live and learn... But on the other hand I learned that taking a pinch of moist copenhagen snuff and wiping on the shafts left a deep dark brown stain that didn't streak or raise the grain!
Logged
Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

Offline sadiejane

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,030
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2012, 04:22:22 pm »
hows bout yr left over morning coffee? i use it all the time to stain bone.
Logged
wild women don't get the blues

Offline Tom Leemans

  • Member
  • Posts: 524
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #9 on: January 10, 2012, 01:18:09 pm »
DO NOT do that ammonia stain anywhere where people will be! Build a temporary tent of sorts from sheet plastic and 1X2's or something to contain the fumes. The longer the wood is exposed, the more it oxidizes the wood.
Logged

Offline randman

  • Member
  • Posts: 647
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #10 on: January 11, 2012, 12:31:11 am »
I read on another site here recently about onion skin stain. Boil lots of onion skins for 1 hr, strain and boil some more to intensify the color. I haven't tried it yet but his bow is a beautiful amber color. Could probably get other colors from purple and red onions.

Thought this was an appropriate thread to pass this info on.
Logged
Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

Offline JackCrafty

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 5,628
  • Sorry Officer, I was just gathering "materials".
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #11 on: January 11, 2012, 04:02:08 pm »
Brown stain:  soy sauce, liquid smoke.

Yellow stain:  mustard, osage sawdust steeped in alcohol or oil.

Red stain:  beet juice.

There are also various fruit juices that you can use straight out of the bottle:  grape juice, pomegranate, cranberry, prune, etc.

The list is endless. ;D
Logged
Any critter tastes good with enough butter on it.

Patrick Blank
Midland, Texas
Youtube: JackCrafty, Allergic Hobbit, Patrick Blank

Where's Rock? Public Waterways, Road Cuts, Landscape Supply, Knap-Ins.
How to Cook It?  200° for 24hrs then 275° to 500° for 4hrs (depending on type), Cool for 12hr

TurtleCreek

  • Guest
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #12 on: January 15, 2012, 09:47:57 pm »
  Beef blood makes a neat looking stain
Logged

Offline HickoryBill

  • Member
  • Posts: 785
Re: PRIMITIVE OR PERIOD STAINS
« Reply #13 on: January 15, 2012, 11:33:01 pm »
If you consider blood a primitive stain then most of my wood projects bows, arrows, etc usually end up with a little red HickoryBill primitive stain..... ;D ;D In all seriousness whatever stain you decide to use make sure you use a good sealer.
Logged
"He who hesitates usually misses"
"All you really need to make a bow and arrow are some sticks and a deer carcass"
Bill Stockdill
Clarion County Pennsylvania
Pages: [1]
« previous next »