keeping osage from darkening

[DirtyDan]

I read on a thread somewhere that you can keep osage from darkening with age by applying vinegar, or something, to it.  I do not care if it darkens, but a friend of mine would like to keep it yellow.  Anybody know about this?

Dan

[JackCrafty]

The only thing I've heard on the subject is to use a UV blocking varnish.  I think it's used for outdoor furniture and such.  But I'm not sure that light exposure is the only thing that darkens osage.  Maybe exposure to oxygen darkens it as well?

[smokeu]

I think i read this in J. Hamms book Bows and arrows of native americans...but it says that exposure to sunlight will eventually darken the wood.. SunBlock may be a good choice like Jackcrafty said.

[El Destructo]

I use Spar Urethane with UV Blockers on some of my Bows with good results....it also has worked for Years on my Deck Furniture...with no changes in Wood Colors...I don't know what the Vinegar would do....besides pulling some of the Natural Oils out of the Osage..you got me on that one...

[nickf]

IMO osage gets more beautyfull while darkening...

[Timo]

Dan, bout the best thing you can do is to keep it socked up while not in use,that will slow the process.

[D. Tiller]

Why would you want it bright yellow? Not good for hunting!

[El Destructo]

                           Cause it looks Purdy Tiller....why do you want to smell like Tea Tree Oil.............

[D. Tiller]

Keeps the ticks off!!!!! 

[El Destructo]

Yeah...I wish I would have ha some earlier....I pulled 5 off of me...and now I got a bad rash around one of the Bites...and I aint been feeling to good either....jusy hope it aint Lymes Disease.......

[shamus]

A urethane finish with UV inhibitors (Minwax helmsman spar urethane) will slow the darkening process down.  That, and keeping your bows in bow socks when not in use will also help.

Nothing I know of will stop the darkening process..unless you eliminate all UV exposure. The bow is bound to hit the light of day sometime, so it will darken. But you can slow it down.

[sailordad]

mike did that tick bite leave "bullseye" mark on you?if so you might want to get checked.
they say that tick with lyme will leave that mark,and on the internet they said it usualy has to be attached for like 8 hours
but if left that bullseye mark i would go get checked.that aint nothing to muck with

[Hillbilly]

I like the look of well-aged osage myself, and it's gonna darken with age, period. Maybe if you dyed it bright yellow osage color, it might stay yaller longer.

[DirtyDan]

Thanks, everyone.  I agree that I like the darkening of osage, but I was just curious about whether anyone had ever tried to keep it bright yellow.
Dan

[knightd]

I used a stabilizer years ago and it worked well.. here is a link to somthing close to what I used..

http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=woodprep-pent