Tallow bow sealer

[Jakesnyder]

Can tallow be used to seal a bow? How effective is it? Or is it worth doing a shellack or something like that?

[Pat B]

Shellac would be a better choice. Cheap carpenters glue, watered down works well too.

[PEARL DRUMS]

If you want the best seal you can get with zero maintenance, use polyurethane.

[Mo_coon-catcher]

If you want to use tallow, mix it with beeswax at a mixture that won’t melt just sitting in your hand but will start to when you begin to rub it in. With deer tallow it’s about 50/50. Just remember that with these natural finishes you will need to reapply every so often. The more frequent the use the more often you’ll need to re finish. Depending on the bow I will use the deer tallow beeswax mix as I have one that is just beeswax. Just beeswax has a tacky feel, especially when warm. The mixture has a softer feel to it but isn’t tacky when properly rubbed in and cleaned up.

Kyle

[Swamp Thang]

What about sealing sinew

[Jakesnyder]

Halfeye actually sent me some that he makes. It is a mixture of pine pitch, tallow and beeswax. I havent used any yet but if you get the mixture right it will make the sinew pretty much water resistant.

[mullet]

I used deer tallow and rendered bacon grease hunting in rain for 9 days in Kentucky. I didn't have time to put a good finish on the Osage bow before we left and the tallow worked real good. It was the only bow I took with me on the hunt.

[Pat B]

Jake, that mixture Rich sent you will also make a good leather treatment.

[burchett.donald]

  Swamp Thing,
                        On all my sinew wraps and even some of my sinew backing, I use crystalized pitch melted in denatured alcohol...The pitch must be crystalized though...Once I paint it over the sinew, the alcohol evaporates leaving a hard protective covering that has yet to fail me...I have a sinewed bow that I will hunt in the rain with and watch the water bead and roll away, same for arrow wraps...This is a recipe I got from PatB a long time ago...
                           Don


PS  Jake, not trying to get off topic, just trying to answer Swamp's question...I use a pitch, tallow and beeswax mixture melted together until it resembles a paste wax consistency if your trying to stay with all natural ingredients...Same as Rich "half eye"
                                                                                                                                                             

[Swamp Thang]

How to know if it's Crystal ized

[burchett.donald]

  It's the hard crumbly part not the sticky stuff...Looks like and feels like hard candy

[Morgan]

Isn’t pitch and alcohol varnish?

[Swamp Thang]

  It's the hard crumbly part not the sticky stuff...Looks like and feels like hard candy

Got tons of this

[Pat B]

Morgan, pitch and alcohol is not a true varnish. I think varnish has an oil additive also(not really sure). I use the term "pitch varnish" to simplify the explanation. It works great on sinew wraps, I've usedit for years but I don't think I'd use it on a bow, sinewed or not because the flexing of the limbs could crack the seal. With an oil like animal fat or bees wax may give it enough flexibility to prevent the cracking.

[Hawkdancer]

Beeswax and flaxseed oil 2:3 mix melted together should make a good seal, also food safe.  Used to seal spoons for cooking use.  I haven't used that mix on a bow, however, I have a 1:4 mix that I think is slightly too soft.  I am going to try adding some pitch to increase durability.
Hawkdancer