Burnishing a Bows back

[The Burnt Hill Archer]

I burnish the whole works, did a hickory today. without any finish at all it looked like it had 20 coats of poly on it!

Phil

[Ryano]

Radius, I think it helps to seal the bow from moisture but other than that I don't believe it does anything. JMO....

[robbsbass]

I once read that you could use a smooth stone to burnish a bow, is that wrong?
                           Robb

[michbowguy]

 

it not only helps compress the wood cells and makes them more flexible and resilient , it also gets down deep into the wood and "fills" some of the old dry pours where there used to be moisture, it works in fat so the bow is more waterproof,if most of the old lemonwood and Osage bows were burnished with fat, they would still be shooters today...instead of wallhangers , too brittle to shoot.
jmo.

mbg

[Pappy]

I do believe it helps,I don't do it to all my bows but I do to most I plan to hunt with,I know
it will help seal out moisture and if it dose nothing else that is enough for me ,no more trouble than it is to do. 
   Pappy

[yellow feather]

I just finished a hickory that I burnished the whole thing. All I know is that it did not take stain worth a hoot.
I used a peace of sooth metal to burnish with. David

[The Burnt Hill Archer]

im with you on the stain part. i just put 3 coats of dark walnut stain on and it still looks like just one! oh well you live you learn. just takes a little while longer....

Phil

[Pappy]

You have to stain it first,I also learned that the hard way.I don't usually stain mine but if I do
and plan on burnishing it I stain first. 
   Pappy

[shamus]

I burnished bows when I first started, but not anymore. I never noticed that it did anything one way or the other.

[TRACY]

I prefer to burnish the back only of my white wood bows but have done it with osage. I like to use the cannon bone like MBG. I've raised splinters on hickory and ash in the past without burnishing the back and just take the time to add a little insurance to the project. Now, I haven't had any problems like that since, but my tillering is better than it was  and that may have more to do with splinters, not sure. I think it all lies within your personal preferences.

Tracy

[radius]

one problem i have found with burnishing is on the handle.  When the handle is all shaped and contoured, it can be difficult to burnish every little spot, and then the appearance of the thing is flawed:  Most of it is glossy and smooth, with a few spots in the hollows where it is dullish.  That being said, i do like the feel of the burnished wood in hand.

I don't usually stain wood, but i have done so.  My first really good bow was a 70 inch hickory flatbow pulliing 75# at 28"...I burnished the back and hit it with "puritan pine" stain, and the stain took evenly and looks great even now.

[Bowbound]

I do it too most of my bows, i think it helps hold them together at least a bit. The fibers are compressed so they are closer together.

[BigWapiti]

If I might kick this thread up again, I just finished tillering a primitive choke cherry bow.  With this thread on burnishing - I thought I might give it a try.  The wood is light and dry, it sounds like it might be a good candidate.  It may help maintain its life and longevity.

But I was hoping I could get some feedback first on what to do, what not to do.

Like... 
Do you oil/grease it; before and/or as you're burnishing?
If so, what oil do you recommend?
Pappy mentioned that if we are to stain, to stain first - this makes sense

Seems to me, after burnishing, there's no need for a final finish (other than keeping it oiled over time), correct?

Thanks all.

Mike

[Pappy]

Yes you do need to stain it first,I do use oil but I know some that do.I burnish it and then
seal just like normal.If you used oil or grease I would say that would be all it would need except adding a little grease now and then. Let me know how it turns out. I do know it
will really slick the wood up.
   Pappy

[BigWapiti]

Thanks Pappy - - what is it you use as oil/grease?