First bow just finished, not sure about how to seal it.

[Shadowcleaver]

Hey all,

Just finished me first bow build, based it a bit on boariorbows build, this forum(which is fantastic by the way) and adapted when needed. The wood is a cross between some sort of pine and yew, it has a quite clear distinction between outer and inner wood. I backed it with rawhide as I had a small splinter when tillering it. The rawhide was attached with Titebond glue but I don't really know what finish I can use that wouldn't dissolve the glue or something. Can  anybody help me?

[Stick Bender]

Nice looking bow Mike from boariorbows is a member here also I don't think you have to worry about to many finishes dissolving your glue I'm just finishing one with raw hide that I'm going to tru oil or tung oil & seal with lacquer or spar varnish good luck post it when you get it dressed up & congrats on your first !

[Shadowcleaver]

Thx

I found some black brown varnish which we used on an old wooden chest. It still shows the wood pattern on the chest after a couple of coats so i'll think ill use that. The handle will probably be red leather, just not sure how to fix it in place yet. Will glue still take on the varnish or should i finish the handle first and then cover it when applying the varnish?

[Stick Bender]

You can tie it on with a shoe lace type pateren if its a solid peace of leather or if its lace type you can tie it like string serving there is a lot of youtube vids on putting on different handle wraps good luck post it when done sounds like it will look nice !

[Shadowcleaver]

I will,  Thx!

[Springbuck]

"The wood is a cross between some sort of pine and yew".

The bow is great, and it looks like the wood is fine stuff, but I don't think this is possible.  Yew and pine are not closely enough related.

[Shadowcleaver]

You might be right,  I don't know a lot about different sorts of wood.  It was just that the leaves or whatever they were looked quite similar. It was something between leaves and needles.  The wood itself seems to be be to dense and heavy to be just some sort of pine. The color is also too dark I think

[Jim Davis]

Larch, ? Where are you?

[Shadowcleaver]

I live in Belgium.  You might be right about the larch,  it has the same look.  It has been a good bowwood so far for me