Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Papa Matt on September 26, 2008, 05:28:46 pm
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Brothers, I have found this to be wonderful stuff! Are there any reasons why a person would NOT use this? So far, I plan to finish all my bows this way. Is there any reason not to?
~~Papa Matt
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Matt, I've used it for years and have nothing bad to say about it. ;) Pat
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Because it has a linseed oil base I don't believe it is as effective a moisture barrier as other finishes.
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I love the finish of tru-oil. Someone on here told me to use it then use a polyurethane over it if I was really worried about moisture. That is what I did and man it looks great.
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I've been doing the same as hickoryswitch. But, don't spray lacquer over it unless you want a mess.
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I use it then apply a light coat of mink oil to help cut down on the shine and it helps shed moisture
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I use it and love it. No finish will keep out moisture entirely.
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I stopped using because it allowed the grain to be raised on my selfbows when I've been caught in the rain. Jawge
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never used it,except on my guns cuase thats what its for lol
i like tongue oil,after 12-15 coats hand rubbed in it should be pretty much water resistant,atleast thats what myfather inlaw told me, i think he knows a thing or two about wood and finishes. he ws a carpenter/contracter cabinent builder for like 45 yrs,made all his own cabinents etc etc.
lots of work to hand rub in 15 coats,and time consuming, but arent they all worth it.
only problem it tends to leave a shine,but you just lightly rub it down with xxxx steel wool and wa la no shine.
just my humble opinion ;D
tim
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I like True Oil as a finish . For rainy days a rag inpregnated with bee's wax rubbed regular over the finish or paste wax helps no end . I don't beleive their is a truely waterproof finish on the market .
regards Perry
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I have sat through a quite a few rain storms and saw no ill effects using Tru-Oil. On hunting bows I add a quick spray of satin poly but only to reduce shine. Pat
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i love the finish it gives. i havnt had too many chances to test its weatherproofness. but id go with Perry with the bees wax. just a little up keep will go a long way for protecting a finishes durabillity.
Phil
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Hi
I usually use only Danish or Tung oil on my primitive bows. Tru oil seems to have too much shine and looks kind of not primitive, if you know what I mean. Beeswax furniture polish will give a damp proof coat for a while and add more as you go. For waterproof I suppose polyurethane will do it-but really it looks to, er, manufactured-I never use it. Heavy rain will get through any oil, but when you get home dry the bow off and put more oil on, the bow then starts to build some real character!
I re tillered an old bow that has had at least twenty coats of Tung oil put on. The penetration look like no more than about 5 thou', so I think it is only a surface protection.
Now if anyone could tell me me how to keep my fletchings dry when it's bucketing down I'd be grateful
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If I want one Pretty......I use Tru Oil.....if I want it to be Waterproof and Huntable with little or no Shine.......I use my recipe of Beeswax and Tallow........put it on way thick....heat it in with a Hair Dryer or Heat Gun on Low........works great.......... one thing to remember about Tru Oil though......if you have any tool marks at all....it will magnify them....so be sure to really do a nice job on the Sanding....or it will show like a sore thumb!!!
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To keep feathers dry try using camp dry, or a silicone spray, Just give them a coat every once in a while. If your feathers get wet and out of shape hold them over steam, they should go back into place.
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thanks whitewoodhunter,
I'll try that silicone spray to keep fletches upright in the rain. I already knew about holding feathers over steam, in fact I once jammed some arrows in the back of car after heavy rainfal day (big mistake). Anyhoo they were flat, rwisted and kinked the wrong way, looked beyond repair. But the miracle of nature fooled me again. Held them over steam and before my very eyes they straightened, reformed, clicked together like velcro and looked as good as new in 4 seconds.
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Brothers, I am surprised to see how many of you do not trust True Oil to be waterproof. When I get the stuff on my hands, I can was 20 times with water and even soak my hands in water and spray alcohol on them and the stuff feels like it was never touched!!
I can't even figure out a good way to get it off short of mineral spirits or something. How can this stuff not be waterproof? ???
~~Papa Matt
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I put 10 coats of Tru-Oil on my bows and have yet to experience a problem with rain (and we get a lot of it in the NW).
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That's what I would expect, Gordon. I don't see any way rain can penetrate this stuff unless it breaks down over time, cause when I get it on my hands, soap and water repeatedly can't get it off, nor can 90% Isopropyl alcohol--and that's when it's not even dry! :o
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I have to agree with Jawge, I have had some problems with raised grain on tru oil treated bows. This wasnt from exposure to rain but only high humidity. The 1 waterproof finish I have found is thinned epoxy resin. The good thing about it is that depending on how much it is sanded you can go from hi gloss to dull matte. You can also put spar varnish over epoxy for UV protection. Not very primitive but more "Green" than many other finishes we use.
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wallynosocks, On a hunt last year with Chris Cade and Hillbilly it rained all weekend. My feathers were still standing after a lite coat of Poly-Urethane.
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Tommy, I'm not sure what you and Jawge mean about "raised grain". You don't mean it cause the back of your bow to splinter do you?? :-\
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No there is no damage to the bow. Try this at home: Take some scrap wood and sand it down nicely to about 220 grit. Now saturate the wood with water, use a sponge or wet towel till the wood turns darker. Let the wood dry a few hours and you will notice that the grain will be raised, you can see it and feel it. This often happens when using water based finishes. To fix take some 300- 400 grain paper and LIGHTLY sand the grain till smooth. There is usually no problem with raised grain except that by resanding you remove some more wood which can be bad on a tillered bow, or if Tru oil was applied and the grain raised, when you sand you remove tru oil and more wood, which can be bad.
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hope no one is confusing water proof & water resistant
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I see what you mean now. I've had that experience before when I got sanded arrow shafts wet before putting a finish on them and had to dry and re-sand.
No confusion here between water proof and water resistant, it just would seem to me that a couple coats or more of True Oil would be both.
~~Matt
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I guess the best approach is "How do I slow the intrusion of water into my wood to a rate slow enough that when I get down from my tree stand the bow doesnt feel like a sponge?"
Nothing is fool proof, with the amount of abuse my bows take (I am a full on spazz) sometimes its better to use a finish that is easily repaired than say a full on epoxy coating that will eventually crack and allow water to get in all quiet like so that by the time you realize there is a problem your wood has turned a dull shade of yellow brown and has taken 5" of set. ....not that thats ever happened to me :-[
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I know a few of you guys like it but I don't. Its no where near as durable as good old polyurathane. I've had the same problems as Jawge in the rain or hight humidity. I can make a bow look just as good with poly and and a coat of paste wax and not have to worry about its durabillity in wet weather. Water just beads up and rolls right off.
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Have used a lot of different types of finishes and stick with Tru oil. To each's own opinion. I've hunted in rain and snow and even dropped my bow into the creek( didn't float either ::)) only to shoot a deer with it an hour later. The only suggestion I have is to re-apply it at the end of the season like you would any of the waxes or pastes. Use the bow enough and ANY finish will wear down, some more than others. If you're not sure what finish to use then experiment with some and find out what you prefer. Good luck this season to all!
Tracy
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I tried it once on a gunstock, an 870 slug gun . Used to hunt deer with it in the rain alot as a matter of fact. Tru oil was less than worthless at keeping water out of the wood. The finish turned cloudy and milky looking . Never used it on bows . I use quick drying high gloss poly u for a few coats then finish with a satin spray on spar urethane to cut the shine. Apply shipotwax as needed to keep everything tight.
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Tru-oil is a great finish.I have put from 10-12 coats on a lot of bows,and it's all I use anymore.The only disadvantage to tru-oil,that I have found,is that insect repellent will break it down.But on a good note,all you have to do is sand it,steel wool it,then re-apply. God Bless
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Papa Matt-
I think the only disadvantage to using Tru-oil is getting it stuck all over your hands!
That stickiness would be the varnish resins that are added to bind with the oils to form into a thin, light film. Most people on this thread use many coats. That would be necessary to build much of a barrier to moisture vapor. But, even one coat would provide a short term resistance to water, liquid or vapor.
If this finish works for you, use it. :), that's my opinion!!
P.S. disposable gloves help alleviate that disadvantage! ;D