Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: uncleduck on September 13, 2010, 11:22:59 pm
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hey guys I recently just finished my first osage flat bow with the help you some of you (THANKS!!) anyway I was wondering what type of finish you would reccomend for my bow. right now Im in Wyoming so obviously pretty low humidity most of the time but I would like a durable finish that would keep my bow consistent during a rain or when I go back and hunt New York (pretty humid and wet). any suggestions would be great. Ive put a few hundred arrows thru this bow already if that makes a difference. Thanks a lot!
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Hey ducky, I'm just over the border in the Black Hills.
You can use just about anything you want to finish out that bow. Osage is famous for not taking up much moisture due to it's inherent oiliness. I use everything from poly-you're-insane, to tung oil, True-oil, and even beeswax and deerfat. If someone wants to send me some bearfat, I'll use that. Osage is not too picky on what you use for a finish.
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mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm bear fat
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On Osage...I normally use a Beeswax/Tallow Mixture since Osage don't absorb Water like most Woods do...I have in the Past on a couple just used E.V. Olive Oil and gotten great results from it...soaks in good on Osage...and it darkens and makes the Wood just glow...I put it on with 000 Steel Wool...and just rub it in really good ...keep the Wool wet...and just polish the Wood...then let it sit overnight...and then take more and put it on liberally with a paper towel...and let the soak in...looks like Glass when you are done...nobody at the Classic two years in a row could believe the Finish on the Bows...till you smelled them...can't miss the smell of Olive Oil.... ;)
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Several thin coats of tru oil will make it shine. If you want to hunt with it, you might want to go with a non shiny finish. I just used spray spar urethane satin and it still shines a little to much.
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as outlaw says however iv growen very found of the new tru oil in spray cans and do dull the finish if ya hunt with it brock
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Mike ya know i had wondered bout that cuz i like the way it looks when i wipe it on during heat!I'll have to remember that one!Thanks!! ;)
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the more you buff it with 0000Wool...the smoother it gets...and the more friction causes the Oil to soak deeply in...you'd swear it was Poly..anyon that seen the Bows at the Classic will tell you how good they shed Pappys Torrential Downpours and still looked good!
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assume you've sanded well down too 100 grit and removed all nicks. What I do is sand with 220. I take it out in the and and look it over looking for nicks and removing them with a pen knife as a scraper. I then sand with 220 again. The dampen a paper towel and run it over the bow. Let dry and sand with 220. The water raises the grain. I continue until no more grain is raised. Usually the belly takes a few swipes with the damp towel. Then I sand with 400 and 600 grit. For a finish on osage I use 3 coats of Tru Oil because it fills in the grain nicely. When dry I follow with 3 coats of spar urethane with spray can or brush. Jawge
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Answers a question I was gonna ask today about beeswax as I may have access to a supply of the stuff. Though I'm intrigued with the EVO method... wil definitely try that out!
Steve
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thanks for the input guys
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I do about like Jawge except for all the sanding. :) :) I use satin polly for a dull finish. :)
Pappy
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Spar urethane is said to be the best sealant. I use poly because it doesn't yellow as bad, and is more forgiving to apply. Epoxy is good in my experience, but a pain to apply. I don't care for polycrylic, I've seen it bleed yellow (top of osage) when it got wet in a rainstorm, and even after my usual 5 to 7 coats. Tru oil is probably the most forgiving and easy to apply, but imho you need lots and lots of coats, say 10 to 20... fortunately w/ tru oil this is no giant burden. I wax (parafin rubbed in w/ mineral spirits) on top of of whatever, and I personally think this is as important as the finish you use. Parafin will bead water top of most anything, even by itself, and lasts plenty long as a typical wet outing.
I live in a humid climate and became very careful about moisture control after lots of projects, most of my projects, turned out with more string follow and less cast than other's I read about on the net. I use a postal scale and a hot box with several Rh gauges to monitor moisture content (or did when I was still active in the craft) and I can assure you osage does take up moisture just like every other wood. This regardless of whether it's nekkid or sealed. But it does seem to take a relatively longer to take up moisture, and or does seem to retain it's strenght and resilience better than some other species (like elm). This perhaps simply due to it's specific gravity... it's heaviness. It has so much wood in it (per volume) a particular amount of moisture counts less, as a proportion of total mass. Folks also speculate "extractives" in it's sap have an effect. Anybody who has cut osage can testify, that milky sap is some kinda sticky shiite. That's gotta count for something.