Author Topic: Using gunny's paste / 1/3 wax mix on bows? And about substituting TO for the LO?  (Read 1381 times)

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Offline toomanyknots

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Anybody do this? I am talking about the popular 1/3 wax, 1/3 turps, and 1/3 linseed oil/tung oil mix that is used for gun stocks. I am thinking of using it as a final coat on my pure tung oil bows, to give it a good look as the tung oil always drys so matte. I tried a 50/50 beeswax turp mix, bit it dried too fast to rub out easy, and I got little bumps of wax I had to rub the heck out of to smooth out, took forever just like normal beeswax (if not using a hair dryer to melt the wax). I remember some paste wax I made that was just beeswax and tung oil, which rubbed out real easy, so I am thinking I need an oil. I was thinking of throwing some tru oil in the mix, I wonder if this is a bad idea? And anybody have an opinion on tung oil verses linseed oil? Is there much of a difference when substituting either in the gunny's paste?
"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 tronman

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That mix of 1/3 wax, 1/3 turp and 1/3 tung or BLO will work nicely over a PTO finish. If you use PTO it dries a little slower so you may need to give a little more time to dry between coats. I am not sure you should mix in Tru-Oil that's a different style finish. A little heat should help draw the paste into the wood providing a nice moisture barrier. Apply a couple coats and your bow should look real nice.

Eric