Weather resistant finish

[OlympicPeninsula]

I live in one of the rainiest areas in the world and need a finish that will protect bows from the rain!

suggestions?

[PEARL DRUMS]

Zip Guard urethane. I had a friend of mine tell me he built I believe three bows and each was dipped in various sealers. After one week fully submerged in his creek out back the only bow that looked untouched was sealed in Zip Guard. The others I dont believe survived. I have dipped the last several in Zip Guard and it sure looks nice and tough to me. I believe him!

[seabass]

i use tung oil.lots of coats.some guys use polyurethane.there is so many choices.just make sure you keep your finish in good condition.hope this helps,Steve

[chessieboy]

There have actually been studies done an surprisingly the two best finishes for weather proofing were bee wax and bear fat.  They beat out oils and urethane type finishes.  Having said that most finishes do a fine job.

Bill

[Pat B]

Use any good finish. When you are ready to go out apply some pastre wax. When you get out of the weather wipe down your bow down with a dry towel and store it in a dry place. Rain isn't the culprit. Any good finish will repel rain. It is the relative humidity that creeps into your bow over a period of time.
  Jay Massey hunted Alaska with sinew backed osage bows that he finished with French polish; a mixture of linseed oil and shellac. Today this isn't considered a good water resistant finish.

[George Tsoukalas]

I use spar urethane...3 coats. Jawge

[Weylin]

I use 6-9 coats of tru-oil. But I agree with Pat, rain's not the problem, it's humidity. just dont make a hickory bow up there, Mine has a hard enough time in Portland. 

[Pat B]

When I hunted Colorado in '06 with Kenneth my main bow was Elkie, a sinew backed osage bow. My back up was a tri-lam(boo/hickory/ipe). Kenneth had 2 selfbows. We carried a 4" schedule 40 PVE pipe with a screw cap on one end(my bow shipping tube). We dumped a 1# bag of rice down inside to help with moisture control. Each evening after the hunt we would wipe down our bows and put them in the tube(we were tent camping). It rained a few afternoons while we were out there but also we were camped near the creek with steep sides or either side so the humidity was always high. Neither of us noticed any loss of performance while we were there. The hygroscopic rate of most woods is quite slow. You put a moisture barrier around cthat and it takes quite a while for that moisture to effect the bows performance. On the other hand it takes just as long for that same moisture to leave the wood so bare that in mind after you hunt in bad weather or you go through a period of high humidity.

[Lee Slikkers]

What a great "tip" Pat...Rice for moisture absorption and after it has had it's fill you have "free" camp food 

[Pat B]

My Mom always put rice is the sideboard draw with her good silver flatwear...and she was an old wife after a while. 

[crooketarrow]

  I've use everything it one time or another. I've slowly moved to bee's wax. SO I GUESS I'VE BECAME A WAX MAN have been for 15 years. I've never had any problems. And have made bows that went to Washington and OR. Have talk to all 3 people they went to and they all liked the wax. And has'nt have any problems.
 Plus I rewax my bows each year and each year it looks like a new bow all over. To me you can't beat bee's wax and a hair dryer. PLUS WAX IS MORE TRADITIONAL. Heated wax not only seals over the bow but runs deep down in the pours It well run deep where other finishs will just seal over the bow not alowing your bow to breath. Wood needs to breath. Hot wax helps with the relaltive humity.
    Which is far harder to keep out the out side moisture such as rain and moisture. Plus you don't what to intiedly stop humity you want the wood to breath some. Wax stops just enough humity and keeps out all rain and moisture out.
  Most people don't use it because you have to redo it. Not something you want to tell someone that just both a bow from you. And some poeple want a sealer they don't have to mess with. I use varfane ,varafane will show you how well your tiller is after  FEW 100 arrows on the ends of the stiff spots will cristalize. Giveing way your tillering mistakes.

[dwardo]

Very boring un-traditional Ronseal poly varnish but it works and its maintenance free. Usualy 3-5 coats. More coats if i am able to thin it with spirits and dont have a backing that will be affected. Then a good quality clear wax furniture polish over that. Recently i have found that the plastic tubes made for fishing rod storage aare very good, caps that seal and light weight compared to PVC pipe.