Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: BrokenArrow on March 26, 2015, 02:15:45 pm

Title: Sinew Coloring
Post by: BrokenArrow on March 26, 2015, 02:15:45 pm

I have sinewed my first bow and it is dry and would like to color the sinew a natural tone, suggestions for what to use to color the sinew?

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on March 26, 2015, 02:45:46 pm

Food coloring should work just fine.

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: Pat B on March 26, 2015, 04:10:54 pm

A thin layer of TBIII. It will also help moisture proof it.

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: PatM on March 26, 2015, 04:34:21 pm

Sinew is already a pretty natural tone. What are you looking for specifically? A good trick with coloring a sinew back is to dye the whole thing as you apply it.

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: BrokenArrow on March 26, 2015, 06:04:25 pm

I want a natural color that would blend with the osage wood

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: JoJoDapyro on March 26, 2015, 06:09:41 pm

It didn't already turn yellow from the dye in the wood?

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: wizardgoat on March 26, 2015, 06:27:11 pm

I think I've heard of guys making dye from osage shavings.

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: jeffp51 on March 26, 2015, 06:57:04 pm

what about darker pigments--not for staining, but for decorative painting?

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: PrimitiveTim on March 26, 2015, 07:01:12 pm

a tannin based stain would probably work.

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: PatM on March 26, 2015, 08:05:52 pm

Quote from: BrokenArrow on March 26, 2015, 06:04:25 pm

I want a natural color that would blend with the osage wood

I'm just trying to get what appears unnatural about sinew color. Remember your Osage is going to change in color.

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: loefflerchuck on March 26, 2015, 08:37:18 pm

boil osage shavings till you have a dye

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: crooketarrow on March 27, 2015, 12:16:30 pm

 I've dryed the 6 sinew bows I built.  But I've never colored after I put it on the bow.

 I clean the sinew as if it was ready to be but on the bow. Dyed it in warm water and rit dye the color I want. I've taken it out of the pan andlet it dry and I've but it on the bow right out of the dyes pan.  But I like to let it set over night sterring it now and then. This is how to get the brightest colors.

  I did it for different reasons than you I wanted to get some contrash from sinew to bow.

  I dryed the sinew on osage green twice,light gray,dark gray. I even camoed a sinewed osage for a guy in CANADA. But green (SHADE UNDER HUNTER GREEN)on osage I think looks SWEETTTTTTTTTT. My favoret color on osage.

 I did one really nice, I had a 2 small sidewinder skins. I cut down each side so you just had the center of the dimion. I dryed the sinew gray then put the skins center over the dryed sinew. I put on a beaver handle,you could see the gray under the edges all the way down the limbs to the handle.

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: BrokenArrow on March 27, 2015, 12:23:16 pm

Would Miniwax poly wood stain work?

Title: Re: Sinew Coloring
Post by: bradsmith2010 on March 27, 2015, 03:15:40 pm

lots of great suggestions above,, paint will work as well