Burnishing Question

[dragonman]

Does anyone think burnishing the belly of a bow will compress the fibres enough to increase performance?

[Pat B]

I doubt that burnishing can by itself. Maybe burnishing a tempered belly would help some. I've never burnished a bow, back or belly so its just a guess for me.

[riverrat]

its what ive always done. always used a deer antler or a bone to burnish the back, the belly, the sides. lately, once i get a bow tillered. i string it up backwards lightly. so it has a slight bend backwards. burnish the belly real good, take the string off then burnish the back. i personally think it helps. if you lightly grease your bow after burnishing i believe it is protected from dampness. now mind you its not as good as spraying ureathane on it or something but i like mine all natural, so i burnish grease, and warm my bow by a camp fire from time to time. i think that carbon helps it too. i know water will bead up on it for quite awhile afterwards if it rains or is foggy out.Tony

[George Tsoukalas]

If you do it, stain it first. Jawge

[PEARL DRUMS]

I don't think there is a benefit to it. Maybe I would consider burnishing a yew sapwood back. But even then, I doubt it.

[huisme]

I always burnish the sides and the area around the knock but not a whole lot else, sanding to 1600 usually does the shiny trick on its own.

[simson]

Have done it, don't do it anymore. Found no benefit.

[wizardgoat]

The only thing I ever burnish is yew sapwood.
There's an undeniable difference in its feel, and it turns very shiny.
Not sure if there's any performance gain in burnishing back or belly,
but it would be an easy experiment to try

[mullet]

I used to do it for the look, I don't think it helps performance and haven't done it in years.

[Drewster]

So if there doesn't seem to be any performance gain, I wonder why some of the native Americans would take the time to do it.  Would it help their finish quality since they didn't have much in the way of sandpaper?

[bradsmith2010]

I read a study where it claimed burnishing did increase the break strength of wood,,maybe TBB1,, 

[RBLusthaus]

I seem to remember a thread a while back where someone, maybe Marc St. Louis, said he looked at the back of a bow after burnishing thru a microscope or some such and found the back fibers were actually broken and pressed flat after the burnish.   If this is true, imo, this would be a reason not to burnish. 

Maybe I am remembering wrong?  That does happen often, just ask my wife. 

Russ

[Pappy]

I do it sometime , especially on the edges if it is questionable but not on all bow, I do think it helps seal them from moisture to a degree and never see it hurt anything.
 Pappy

[PatM]

Comstock mentioned an unburnished hickory bow made with a fine ringed stave that broke quickly and a second bow from the same tree surviving after a thorough burnishing.
 A always do it because it eliminates denting of the back as a source of weak spots.