Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: shackleton on March 01, 2018, 01:46:25 pm
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Am looking to finish an Osage longbow that a friend of mine made.Looking for input on some of your favorite finishes.Leaning towards Tru-oil finish followed by a product sold by PineHollow Longbows, a combo of animal fat and bees wax.Thoughts?
Scott
BTW After this project I'll be starting to build myself.This projects a warmup. ;D
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Lots and lots and lots of options. My personal favorite as of late is a blend of bees wax and lemon oil, its for keeping guitars healthy. I rub in at least 3-4 coats and then add 3-4 coats of Johnsons Paste wax over it. If the bow is going down the road I use Helmsman Clear satin spray. Its very durable, looks great and can handle a thunder storm.
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True oil. Arvin
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Wow Pearly you change finishes as often as a woman changes her mind. >:D
And your right many many options. ;) ;)
DBar
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I have used tru-oil, tung oil, and spray poly. My new favorite is automotive car rim sealer in satin. I can put 3 or 4 coats on a bow in 30 minutes and it is done.
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Wow Pearly you change finishes as often as a woman changes her mind. >:D
And your right many many options. ;) ;)
DBar
I just like to try it all so if I give an opinion I have some experience to back it up.
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Wow Pearly you change finishes as often as a woman changes her mind. >:D
And your right many many options. ;) ;)
DBar
I just like to try it all so if I give an opinion I have some experience to back it up.
Will butter work?
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Pat,butter probably would work especially if it and the bow were heated first. Ghee might even be better.
I've successfully used Tru-Oil for many years and see no need to change. I do add a quick spray of satin poly to reduce the shine. I've also used hand rubbed animal fat(bear, deer, etc.) on my more primitive bows.
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Never tried butter, but it does have fat in it.
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Are we sealing it primitively or modernly?
DBar
Oh yea if I have the time I like a penetrating finish. Usually tung oil more available . Then a good wax.
Quickly I would use helsmen spar varnish. Neither is a primitive finish.
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5 or 6 coats of tru oil with a coat of satin spray polish to dull the shine.
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On most of my wood projects, bows included, I like to use real tung oil, thinned out first followed by a couple applications at regular strength, let that cure for a while then the fake tung oil "finnish". Really makes the grain pop and osage just glows. From there it depends on the project and wether or not I want to dull it or wax it.
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I like the look of 'fake' tung oil on osage; formula approximately 8 parts satin oil polyurethane, 2 parts mineral spirits, 1 part boiled linseed oil. It will take a day to dry out between coats, but the vehicle is thin enough that it won't gum up or leave brush lines in the finish. A couple more coats after that.
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I've used Thunderbird Epoxy bow finish ever since it was announced Fullerplast was being discontinued. What 10 years now? Fullerplast was a great finish and I was happy with it, but T-Bird is even better. With it, you can end up with a finish nicer than what some professional bowyers are doing. I'm open to any finish that would be an improvement on T-bird's look and durability, but so far see no reason to change.
I've used various oils and dyes prior to the finish to alter the appearance of osage, and other woods.
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3 coats of Tru Oil followed by 3 or 4 of Spar Urethane spray on. The Tru Oil seals the pores. Jawge
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Shellac, Tung Oil and paste wax, in that order of application, on everything
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Lots of good finishes available! Tru Oil is good, LinSpeed is good. Beeswax, and flax oil mixed is good, and more or less waterproof, requires repeat applications periodically. Welcome to the site.
Hawkdancer
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another vote for tung oil
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Do any finishes preserve the grain colors on osage?
WA
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I haven't found anything, some finishes slow it down, but osage always darkens with age and light exposure.
DBar
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My favourite finish looks wise is red/garnet shellac. It has a beautiful, soft lustre, not overly shiny like a varnish. The colour of the shellac works well with the reddish/orange tones of osage.
For retaining the colour as much as possible, I think a paraffin wax coating alla Dean Torges is about the best I've come across. It also supposed to be the best at keeping out moisture. Maybe a water based varnish with a UV inhibitor would be another good option, but I don't know how durable the finish is to wear. Oil based finishes tend to accelerate the darkening of osage.
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Never tried butter, but it does have fat in it.
I wouldn't use butter, but I'd use ghee or clarified butter, if I was in a pinch, for sure.
I've been using beeswax and coconut oil, but a citrus oils sounds nice.