minnwax

[knap_123]

does minnwax stain make a good bow stain?  the reason i ask is i used ton another project and it feels kind of waxy after it dries. and i wonderif it ad alot of moisture back intote wood?

[Hillbilly]

About all I use any more is alchohol-based leather dye like Fiebings.

[George Tsoukalas]

Is it water soluble stain? Jawge

[The Gopher]

I think Minwax, is all oil based stains.

[The Gopher]

I just checked, the minwax stains in the yellow can are oil based, these are the most common, you see them everywhere. They also have a water based stain thats in a cream colored can and says "water-based" right on the front.

The only stains that i have used on a bow are the oil based minwax (yellow can) and have not had a problem. 

[knap_123]

oh decisions, decisions, descions!   now i hae to decide if i want my old trusty homemade blk. walnut dye.  or my new color gunstock minnwax i just bought.  i dont want my bow to be sluggish cause i put a heavier  stain on it.  but its a real cool color as well.

[Josh]

I just did a hickory backed hickory bow in Ebony Minwax stain... here's a link to go look at it if you want. I finished it in 5 coats of tru oil after the 2 coats of stain dried.  Leave me a comment on it I don't think anyone really liked it.     -josh

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,16059.msg221023.html#msg221023

[George Tsoukalas]

Should be fine. I've used them on bows. I prefer the water based stains. I avoid water based for hickory. These days I've been using Rit in alcohol too. Still idea to put on a finish coat and I use spar urethane. Jawge

[knap_123]

nice bow josh!!  well i guess i'll use this stain since i've bought it and post pics on the dogwood  buildalong i'm doing.

[denny]

I use it all the time, oil only for me. Heck I have even used shoepolish. Buff it with newspaper and see what you get. It will surprise you. I do this with little kid build alongs. Parents don't like stain on the kids hands.lol Anyway there is a new post I made the english long bow with the quiver is ash stained with minnwax(yellow can) with t-5 plastic coat laquer.

[mullet]

 I use it all the time with no problem.

[Jmilbrandt]

I always use minwax never seemed to be a problem.

[knap_123]

i got my second coat finished and i do like this stain alot. the only setback, all my flaws, and unseen hairline checks and what knots  jumped off the wood and  slapped me in the face!! lol  i learnt on this one, make sure my sanding is were  i need it and all bleamishes  fixed!  of course this was not the stains fault but my own  for  trying to go to fast  and not inspecting goodenough.  but if you ask mywife,  she'd say i practaly became intimate with this bow i held and stared at so long!      my point is,  the stain really brings out the  details, and i will use it again.

[George Tsoukalas]

Oh I hate that. Here's a tip for the future. Look at your bow outside in the sun. Take a scraper, knife and/or rasp to the nicks.  Back inside. Sand down to 220 grit. Take a moist paper towel to the bow. It raises the grain and exposes all nicks in the process. Let dry about 30 minutes or so. You'll know when it is dry. Sand with 220 again. Repeat until no grain is raised. Sand with 400 grit and 600 grit. Makes a nice finish. Jawge

[Josh]

yeah... me and my buddy snakeman have a saying every time one of us  finishes a bow and stain it.  We always joke about how the minwax brought out the beauty of the tool marks on each other's bows instead of the beauty of the grain. Oh well, I think it adds to the character of a wooden bow to have some toolmarks.     -josh