Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Mo_coon-catcher on November 03, 2014, 12:19:51 am
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As the title states, which makes the better finish? I'm guessing the mixture would be better. I have 2.5 quarts from a doe I shot a couple weeks ago and want to try it as a finish. If the mix is better what would be a good ratio to go with. Which ever I go I plan to heat it up with my heat gun and rub it in. I usually use tru oil, but want to try a more natural finish. Any opinions?
Thanks,
Kyle
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Not sure never done one like that yet. But I have a piece of hickory roughed out that I'm going to do the deer tallow and beeswax finish on. If I were to venture a guess it would be the mix. I would say that the fat would work but I think the wax added to it would seal it better. Just my thoughts, Patrick
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Hopefully, someone with some first hand knowledge of this will chime in. I'm thinking of doing the same thing on a bow I'm working on.
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My bow finish is a mix. I use the mix because it's consistency can be tweeked for the weather in different parts of the country or the time of year. I started out with pitch/grease/wax but also use the grease and wax. I usually start with the 2 recipe,s below and tweek to suit my fancy from there.
!. 1 part pitch to 2 parts grease, then add bees wax untill it's the consistencey of canned shoe polish. After it,s applied it will feel gummy, but if you wipe it down and "buff" it in some it dries hard on the surface (hard to the touch) This will also give the wood a dark brown "smoked" color if your using white woods.
2. Melt beeswax and add grease of about equal parts, then tweek the cooled texture by adding more or less grease or wax. The idea is to have the stuff not be runny when it's hot weather and not to hard when it's cold....depends on your location. Cold up here can be severely below zero but a lot warmer in the south or west. This mixture is basically clear and will not much color.
I start the same on my shorty self bows....get the stuff hot and melted and I stick both ends right down in the mix and they will bubble up like a "fizzy" tablet. about 30 seconds per end.then brush the hot liquid all over the bow and rub in with a cloth. I usually do this twice. Once it's buffed out go over the whole thing with the heat gun and re=rub as you go....set it aside till cooled off (the wood that is) then buff untill dull or warm gently with the heat gun to give it a high gloss like soit shined shoes. Touch ups are done with the original "wipe-down" rag and heat gun.
anyways thats how I do it, and mine see a lot of rain, sleet and snow. Hope that helps some
rich
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I've made a similar mix as Rich but with bear fat, pitch and bees wax. I use it for a leather dressing.
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I think I'll have to go pick up some bees wax then. I don't have any substantial amounts of pitch at the moment, so I think I will stick with the wax and grease mix. The temperatures around here have a WIDE variation through the year or even month. So I'll set the mix where it will be used most of the time in the comfortable weather. Thanks for the tips.
Kyle
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Hi rich,
Thanks for the recipes they will come in handy. Do you have a preference to one over the other? Can I use other greases, such as Crisco that's if I was going for that deep fried aroma. :laugh: The heat gun could really get that mix deep into a bow fast. As always this is valuable info thanks.
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Hey Mo_coon-catcher, I suspect your from Missouri. If so where abouts? I live just outside the south side of Springfield. Patrick
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Yup. I'm from the North east corner, a little town just west of Macon. So I'm a little ways off from you.
Kyle
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Can I use other greases, such as Crisco that's if I was going for that deep fried aroma. :laugh:
I have used Shortening and beeswax mix for leather and it's astounding. I just mixed them in a double boiler until the consistency cooled hard, but I could goughe the stuff out with a fingernail. If you apply it to warmed leather it just drinks it in.
I use the same stuff on bows. Warming the whole bow helpsd make for an easy application, hung on pegs above the fireplace, or like in front of a spaceheater, or in a warm car in the summer. If the bow is very warm, but handle-able, you can practically rub it on and watch it melt, soak in and dry. I just coat it several times and return it to the warmer.
If you do this, use care not to over-dry or scorch the bow.
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If anyone out there has extra deer tallow I want to trade for some. PM me.