Bow Finish

[legend]

Hi Guys ,
Probably been asked before , but im new to bow making and would like to ask peoples opinion as to what they think the best finish is for a Flat bow I am making at present , Greenhart belly with a Hickory Backing ?
Cheers .
Mike

[Pat B]

Mike, I've used Tru-Oil for years with good results. Tru-Oil is a linseed oil based gun stock finish with a self leveling glossy finish. I reduce the shine of the Tru-oil on my bows with a quick spray of satin poly.
 You'll get lots of answers to your question and probably most have been proved as a good bow finish after years of use.
 A good primitive finish is hand rubbed animal fat(oil) like bear grease or bacon fat.

[bubby]

Tung oil works really good too, so does poly

[hobbyaccumulator]

I am also on the finish part of finishing my first bow :p

I decided to go with Boiled Linseed Oil because it was cheap on Amazon Prime and looks like it has good results in pictures i've seen.

But some other great suggestions i've read about are Tung Oil, Danish Oil, Tru-Oil, MinWax, and polyurethane (many different types) Check out this video for a small comparison of oil based finishes

There are also water based finishes.

Here is a long video with a bunch of different finishes for both water and oil based finishes and when you could use them and how to apply them properly. This video will probably answer the question of what finish to use and them some if you wanna sit through it. I found it very fascinating.


Good luck!

[osage outlaw]

I've used tung oil, tru oil, shellac, polyurethane, Tight Bond 3, and clear car rim sealer.  The car rim sealer is my new favorite. 

[Dances with squirrels]

The best? I've used a variety up to this point and imo Thunderbird surpasses them all and is the only one I'm interested in... until something better comes along.

[Will H]

Ive used Tru oil, paraffin wax and a heat gun, helmsman spar urethane, but my new favorite is some stuff I get from wood craft called tried and true. Its a polymerized linseed oil and beeswax mixture. I love the feel of it on a simple wood bow. If I'm putting skins on a bow Ill use Spar

[BowEd]

I've tried all of the above mentioned.I've settled with magna lac lacquer finish.Dries fast put on with a few thin layers.You can shoot the bow within an hour of application.Does'nt yellow over time.Does'nt need a rejuvination coat now and then.Scratches on bow fixed easily with a little sanding and a blending recoat.Don't put too thick a final finish on though which is'nt neccessary anyway.It will chrysally crack.
It's a finish I picked up to use shown to me by some bow makers of over 40 years by me.They tried all of the above too.

[Bob Barnes]

thanks for the heads up Beadman... your bows always look great at MoJam.  I have only found it a few places in 1 gallon and 5 gallons... does it come in a smaller container?  How do you apply it?

[BowEd]

Bob...It's best applied in a spray to get nice thin coats.I got a spray gun connected to an average air compressor.Got the gun at a farm sale very cheap but think harbor freight handles them at a moderate price.A person needs to put an adjustable pressure valve on too to the bottom of the gun to adjust the air pressure and tone it down some.You can brush it on too thinned out but be careful to not put it on too thick.
I go in halvzies together on a gallon with a friend and buy a half gallon or 2 quarts with him.The dull finish is what we buy.That 2 quarts does quite a few bows.I mix it 1 part lacquer thinner to 4 parts magna lac in the spray gun to use.That's usually 1 tablespoon thinner to 4 tablespoons magna lac for 1 bow being enough.I still burnish it with 0000 steel wool yet afterwards though.
For people like me who forget to sign bows it comes in handy also.Indian ink signature then lightly spray over signature seals it up smudge free.
PS...We ussualy get the magna lac from the woodsmith store in Des Moines,Iowa.

[Bob Barnes]

thanks... it sounds like good stuff.