Pine pitch and tallow

[Allyn T]

If I wanted to make a water proofer for a bow with deer tallow and pine resin would that work pretty well?

[Pat B]

It might be a better leather dressing. If you heat the bow first enough to absorb the warmed mixture. it would probably repel water pretty good. Probably a finish you'll have to replenish often, though.

[Hawkdancer]

Might try equal parts pine tar, real turpentine, boiled linseed oil, (a native finish) and the deer fat.  The first mix was a canoe sealer, adding some deer fat might make it softer, and more penetrating, but as Pat said both the bow and the finish need to be warm.  I have used the base mixture on lodgepoles successfully, but it needs to be reapplied about every season.  Do a lot of testing to get what you like.  A spoon finish of 4:1,or 3:2 beeswax and flaxseed oil might also work.  Again test to see what you like.
Hawkdancer

[Allyn T]

Thank you, I'm ok with applying it often I just want to try something old school in the future. I saved my tallow just for this reason

[Pat B]

About 10 years ago a friend was rendering some deer tallow on his back deck. Someone knocked over the pot of hot oil on the deck. Even today water beads up on that one spot on his deck when it rains.  Using hot(not too hot) tallow on a warmed wood surface should give you enough penetration to repel water. After it cools be sure to wipe off the excess or it will collect dirt and attract animals.

[Allyn T]

Awesome! Thanks Pat, I'll def try it now

[EdwardS]

Bear fat and beeswax is one recipe I know.  It works very well, reapply maybe once a season.  Warm the wood well and it'll soak in-do this til it won't take any more.

It works in the super-damp Southeastern forests.  I'm looking forward to testing if it works here in the actual swamps.  Getting bear fat-that's the hard part.

[Hawkdancer]

Edward,
What ratios? And is the fat rendered?  I would think almost any rendered fat could be used. 
Hawkdancer

[EdwardS]

I'm not sure what Pop's ratio was, but I have had broad success with even a 1:1 ratio.  More fat penetrates better.  More wax waterproofs better.  Just fat works too, but has to be reapplied much more often.

And yeah, rendered fat.  I'm sure you could do it with non-rendered fat, but I'm not very sure it would be pleasant.

Lard or deer tallow work too.   Bear might be traditional, but their numbers aren't what they were.

[Pappy]

I rendered a lot of deer tallow this year and it works way better than tallow alone in all my projects and won't go rancid like tallow alone will.
Not sure it is as good as bear[never had any bear] but good stuff non the less. I feel sure you could heat the bow a little and rub it in alone and it would work fine.
 Pappy

[BowEd]

+1 and it is a good idea for penetration reasons when ever applying any type finish to a bow to warm the bow before hand to a fresh lightly sanded surface reducing any oxidation on the surface before hand.
A side track subject but....PS....Long ago I used rendered deer tallow to make hand dipped beeswax and tallow candles.Think it was 1 to 4 ratio weight wise.Tallow to beeswax.9" long overall.They will burn longer the stronger the ratio of bees wax.Burned a good 12 hours a piece.They smell like honey while burning.

[Allyn T]

Pappy you used beeswax with the tallow? Edward I'll have to play around with it and try different ratios and combinations. I don't have much tallow to start with but I'll save more this coming season

[Handforged]

I rendered a lot of deer tallow this year and it works way better than tallow alone in all my projects and won't go rancid like tallow alone will.
Not sure it is as good as bear[never had any bear] but good stuff non the less. I feel sure you could heat the bow a little and rub it in alone and it would work fine.
 Pappy

My neighbor down the mountain killed a Montana state record black bear (560 pounds). I helped dress and process it for him and walked away with almost 80 pounds of bear fat (two five gallon buckets full) that rendered down into about 4 gallons of oil. If I knew how to ship it, I'd send ya some. By the way, it makes the best biscuits you can imagine!

[Pappy]

You can for finish or on it's on. I use bees wax and pine pitch with raw tallow[or rendered] when making pine pitch glue but have never used pine pitch in my finish. I Think some do though. you just have to mess around with it till you get what you like, it's not like it will hurt a bow just some works better than others. 
 Pappy

[Allyn T]

What's the difference between rendered tallow and raw tallow? I heated the hard fat in a pan and poured the liquid through some panty hose and stored it in a vacuum bag