Burnishing a Bows back

[Phillip K]

When Burnishing a bows back to help Tension which is better to use, hard wood, softwood or steel? Thanks,PK

[Justin Snyder]

I don't like to mess with a bow back at all. Just clean it up and get to work on the belly.  Justin

[xin]

Any kind of glass bottle or jar.  My favorite is the tabasco sauce bottle.  Also like the olive jar that is two or three times as long as it is wide.  You get the idea.  I think  burnishing the back helps hold down splinters and just gives the back a good natural gloss, especially with an olily wood like Osage.

[Hillbilly]

Glass or bone.

[recurve shooter]

...im lost. 

[Coo-wah-chobee]

Use hawgs tusks er bone like Hillbilly said.........bob

[michbowguy]

for us hogless guys up north, we use some antler or cannon bone, er even a hardwood dowel piece.

[Coo-wah-chobee]

It not what ya use there MBG its what ya grease it with as ya burnish ! .........bob

[sailordad]

i've only done it once, used glass on ipe, the ipe came out smoother and shinier than the shotglass that i was using.

                                                                 tim

[Phillip K]

Hey I forgot I got a piece of deer bone Dana M sent me for Christmas, it worked good for Mushin sinew and its nice and smooth.
I also got a glass guitar slide somewhere. Thanks for the tips,I never heard of burnishing A bow back before untill today.PK

[Pappy]

I use a small wine bottle,any glass bottle will work just be sure they don't have a seam in them
that can mess up the back if you aren't careful. Also if you plan on staining it I would do that first,burnishing will make it hard to take the stain.  I usuall do the back and edges but not the belly.
   Pappy

[JackCrafty]

I use a piece of elk antler.  Never tried glass....sounds interesting.
I always burnish before tillering, if it's not backed with sinew.

[Phillip K]

 

[Pat B]

I never burnish bow backs.       Pat

[radius]

no consensus at all on this one