Primitive finish (beeswax)

[Holten101]

I want to go fully primitive on my latest bow project, so I have aquired some plates of beeswax.

Now I have no experience with this stuff, so i have rubbed it in with a piece of leather. It looks good... nice and shiny, but I doubt its more than a superficial coating. Do I need to apply heat to the bow to get the pores filled? Or do I have to mix the wax with something to get that effect?

I would appreciate any tips and tricks?:-)

Cheers

[PEARL DRUMS]

Never used it, but have read about it plenty. I am under the impression that you gently heat the bow until the wax melts into the bow, do this 2-3 times over. Then at least once a year after that. Again I have no experince except reading about it. I know you want all primitive, but I think a layer of paste wax is a good idea as well.

[Pat B]

Hand rubbed bear or deer fat or even bacon grease will give you a pretty good "primitive" finish. I have a yew bow with hand rubbed bear fat that still repells water after 2 years of shooting.

[aznboi3644]

I like a simple paraffin wax finish.  I haven't gotten beeswax yet.  But I heat the bow up and color the wax on like a crayon.  The heat makes the wood soak up the wax good and get in the pores.   Then just rub that wax into the wood nice and good.

[JW_Halverson]

Ring porous woods like osage, hickory, and others will soak plenty of beeswzx, paraffin, or bear grease up into the soft spring wood.  You almost can't use too much.  Ring diffuse woods like maple will take less to saturate. 

The finish can look really nice when you are done and it isn't too shiny in the field.  Beeswax also has a wonderful aroma and will not offend the olfactory senses on any game animals.  Be sure to keep a wary eye out in bear country though!  No sense getting Pooh's head caught in your bowstring while licking your bow!

[frankg]

I use a finish made from beeswax and boiled linseed oil for flintlock rifles that works pretty good . Melt a marble sized lump of beeswax in a half pint jar of boiled linseed oil while jar is heating in pan of water. Mix it in good and apply to wood while mix is warm. Rub it in good with heal of hand. Buff it out with canvas . Reapply as wanted / needed .

[n2huntn]

been using shoe polish on hickory bows. heat gun on low like Pearly said and works great. brown polish makes a nice color and black on handle and tips looks good.
Jeff

[Holten101]

Thanks for all the anwsers:-). I was bloody hard to get the beeswax at a reasonable price, so im glad to hear that grease is a good alternative:-)

I have used beeswax now for two bows and a handfull arrows. I rub it in with a piece of leather...the friction is enough to melt the wax, but "elbow grease" is needed. Now, my finish is not field tested, but it seems durable and very effective as a sealant on the bows. The arrows as well...but reaplication is needed quite often on the outer 5-10" of the buisness end:-).

Ill post both bows and arrows soon.

Cheers

[Del the cat]

Make beeswax and turpentine polish by disolving shavings of beeswax into a little turpentine. A cheesegrater works well for shaving the beeswax (but don't tell your wife I said so!). Warming it up helps but obviously you need to take care as it's flamable.
Del

[Prarie Bowyer]

Bees wax polishes for carvings need to be applied frequently at first and then less frequently as you go.  Chris Pye gives his formula for turpentive polish and the frequency of application in some of his written work.  Something like once a day for a week, once a week for a month once a month for a year. Then yearly.  Don't quote me on that.  That was for carvings which are generaly only looked at.  So for it to be used I'd say you'll be rubbing it down often.  I like a layer of some kind of oil under.  Personaly I use Danish oil which is just a step away from tongue oil.  Wood finishing oils were had and used in "primative times".    the bear fat sounds great.