Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: tattoo dave on March 21, 2017, 08:29:14 pm
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So back in the day when I was in art school, I would make my own wood stain in order to get the colors I wanted for any given sculpture. I figured I would play around with the same homemade stains for dying some feather. And I thought you all might enjoy it. The pics pretty much say it all. Just mix an oil based paint with some thinner, I used acetone just because I have some already. Mix it about 60/40, 40 being the thinner, and brush it on. Twenty minutes later, I'm done experimenting and you can see the results for yourself. The best part is by the time I finished all the colors the first ones I did were dry.
Tattoo Dave
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Wow looks real good ...I've got to try that. Does it stiffen up the feather or does it say soft?
DBar
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Seems to be pretty soft still. I'll let ya know if that changes. This experiment is only about 30 minutes old. ;)
Tattoo Dave
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Those look great. Will the colors fade if you get them wet?
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I'm guessing that they won't fade when wet, due to the fact it's an oil based paint. They have stiffened up just a touch, but not enough to cause a problem. I'll make some arrows, maybe do a build along just for kicks and grins.
Tattoo Dave
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Those look nice Dave.
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Nice work, Dave. Looks real good. I am going to try to make some stain using red oiser dogwood bark, I am carefully peeling the outer bark, and will boil it down Native American style. Any advice to pass on? Thanks,
Hawkdancer
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Nice
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Nice (SH) ! Bob
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Looks good! Keep up posted on how they hold up.
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Thanks fellas. It's not primitive but a quick and easy way to dye them just for fun.
Hawkdancer, I've never tried red osier stain before. I don't see why it wouldn't work.
Tattoo Dave
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looks great. with it being oil based, I'm wondering if it will help repel water. thanks for sharing. Ed
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man, what a great idea!
i like the comment about possible waterproofing, as thats always a problem for us up here in a coastal rain forest. its always raining- just at different angles!
if it doesnt effect their flight past the bow shelf- you will really have something there!
did you paint the entire feather- or just the lighter sections?
cant wait to see the buildalong!
good job!!
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hawkdancer, what colour will the bark dye the feathers- and how do you do it?
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Looking forward to seeing how this experiment ends. I dye them with kool aid, and it would be nice to have some new options for colors.
Neal
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We used clothes dye to color the feathers. It seemed at first that the feathers had become very hard and stiff, but after shooting them for a while, they look (and feel) just as soft as the white parts.
10 inch Manchu fletchings
(http://i1066.photobucket.com/albums/u413/NanceCarpenter/20170101_103702_zpshbkugylw.jpg)
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TSA,
Haven't gotten that far yet. I think I will get the boil done this afternoon, and get some feathers out. Plan to try it on an arrow shaft first. I think it will come out more or less reddish.
Hawkdancer
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Those look sweet Nance! I still haven't gotten around to making a set of arrows with these feathers, I'll post some pics as soon as I do.
Tattoo Dave
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Nance, that is too cool look!
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Thanks!