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Author Topic: Can animal fat be used on rawhide backed bows?  (Read 1999 times)

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Offline ajbruggink

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  • Aaron Bruggink, Oostburg, WI, USA
Can animal fat be used on rawhide backed bows?
« on: July 15, 2016, 11:59:44 am »
Heh guys,

I was wondering if rendered animal fat can be used a bow finish on rawhide backed bows. In TBB vol. 1 in the chapter on bow finishes animal fat was cautioned against on rawhide and sinew backed bows but they didn't really explain why. Is there something I'm missing here that putting animal fat on these things is a bad idea because I don't get it. Your replies are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Aaron
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Can animal fat be used on rawhide backed bows?
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2016, 12:22:41 pm »
Something tells me it wont work out for you, but that's speculation on my behalf.
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Offline bubbles

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Re: Can animal fat be used on rawhide backed bows?
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2016, 02:06:08 pm »
Seems like it would be a bad idea if you were going to add the sinew or rawhide to to a bow you had already put the fat on.  Maybe the hide glue and sinew/rawhide can't absorb the fat like wood can?
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Offline ajbruggink

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  • Aaron Bruggink, Oostburg, WI, USA
Re: Can animal fat be used on rawhide backed bows?
« Reply #3 on: July 15, 2016, 07:12:16 pm »
I thought about it a little after posting this and I realized that if you used heat to get the wood soak the fat in, that might soften the glue used to hold down the backing.
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Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Can animal fat be used on rawhide backed bows?
« Reply #4 on: July 15, 2016, 08:00:42 pm »
After the hide glue is cured, animal fats will not cause the sinew or rawhide backing to de-bond from the wood.  I see no reason why you cannot use fats on the bow after the gluing is DONE.
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Offline mullet

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Re: Can animal fat be used on rawhide backed bows?
« Reply #5 on: July 15, 2016, 09:41:04 pm »
The first time I hunted in Kentucky with an Osage bow, I had not time to finish it before we left. We hunted for nine days and it rained for eight. The first two nights I cut deer fat and saved bacon grease and rendered it down by filterering it through knapkins. I then rubbed it into the wood and didn't have a problem with the rain. For rawhide and sinew I wouldn't do it unless you rubbed on,(not, rubbed in) a light coating each night while hunting.
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Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: Can animal fat be used on rawhide backed bows?
« Reply #6 on: July 16, 2016, 04:28:58 pm »
I think I have read that it is ok to put fat over the cured sinew,, but I have not tried that,,
it seems I was reading an account of Pope and Ishi testing a sinew bow that had fat on the sinew,, but I don't remember what book that was,,  :)  i guess a test bow would be in order, something to test the effect of fat on the sinew  and see if it had adverse effect,,
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