Finish on rawhide

[BowEd]

I was wondering what type water proofing or kind of finish people might like to put on rawhide backed bows.

[ajooter]

I put shellac on mine...havent weather tested mine much tho.

[RBLusthaus]

I stain, then apply multiple coats of Tru oil, and then wax.  The stain is usually absorbed by the hide in a non uniform manner, leaving a camo type effect.  You will either like the look - or not.  Do a test on a sample piece. 

[bradsmith2010]

I like the look of tung oil,, but a good poly finsih is probabl more weather proof,,
spray it on ,, and then put wax on to tone the shine down,, leave the wax thick for bad weather,,

[JonW]

I like tung or danish oil.

[Pat B]

Tru-Oil just like any bow.

[BowEd]

Thanks.The reason for asking is that I know most things get absorbed by the rawhide darkening it some from working with rawhide and leather in the past.Whether it compromises adhesion of the TB 3 glue has crossed my mind too.

[BowEd]

Also too thick of a finish could really cause it to crackle some from bending.

[bradsmith2010]

i have never had poly or tung oil crackle,,
I have thought that the tung oil might comprise the glue,, but have no proof,, just thinking to much

[Pappy]

Tru oil and satin poly for last coat to cut the shine, never had a problem and have done a bunch. Pappy

[PatM]

Thanks.The reason for asking is that I know most things get absorbed by the rawhide darkening it some from working with rawhide and leather in the past.Whether it compromises adhesion of the TB 3 glue has crossed my mind too.

   I really like Tru-oil for the way it soaks in just a touch and then sets.  It doesn't actually penetrate anywhere near down to the glue-line
  You'd probably need to be using a totally non-setting finish for that to happen.

[BowEd]

Well I've tested bees wax/tru oil/ and lacquer.Beading water up on all of the finishes.To tell the truth I think I'll use a combination.Lacquer and then a paste wax buffed out over that.Nothing but wood underneath this rawhide project.No sinew involved.

[Hrothgar]

I've only backed one bow with rawhide, and sealed everything with poly. That was 15 years ago and it still looks good.

Several years back I  did a little research on tung oil. Chances are, what we find in hardware stores sold as tung oil is likely a mixture of poly, linseed oil and turpentine--or something similar. Pure tung oil is pretty expensive and not readily available.

[bradsmith2010]

ok Ed,,, I repair some african drums sometime,, well its rawhide head,, the african guys will put super glue on the whole head,, they say it makes it stronger,, so I tried it on a rawhide back and then sprayed with poly,,, so far so good,,, 

[loon]

Beadman: what kind of lacquer do you use? urushi?? shellac?

hope's tung oil is not that expensive on amazon. advertised 100% pure tung oil. It's what I have. Maybe I should buy more in case it ever runs out O_o Sigh.
Screw poly. Shellac! The real stuff, maybe from button lac, not the cans. But I've never seen it on rawhide? But I have definitely seen it on sinew. So.

finally I write with the tiniest personal experience, rather than out of random stuff I've read. I bought a can of spray-on poly and regretted it. Freaking thing could explode or god knows. I could just use newspaper around whatever I'd spray, but then that newspaper could spontaneously combust... besides, I bet it would smell awful. Eh, I guess brush-on poly might not be so bad, but why use it if shellac probably works just as well, looks better, and is more 'primitive'?
I got a can of shellac. Not that good I guess.
Then I got button lac. Took a few hours to dissolve in denatured alcohol. Applied it on my hornbow. Seems legit.

But denatured is nasty stuff... how to get pure ethanol..