Keep Osage yellow?

[paulsemp]

I do not think sunlight has anything to do with it. I think its just the air. Even when sealed air still hits it

[dbb]

That's what I heard dbb. The thing is I have a large amount of osage in my basement that hasn't seen light in 3 years, its getting darker every week? Zero UV hits it.

Then there is multiple factors in work,i have seen designs masked on a bow in the sun here on PA.
And your stash darkens with no uvexposure...hmm actually makes sense,those old fenceposts that are dark all the way through...
No way uv can shine inside.
Well i guess the uvlaquer delays it a little bit...and THEN make a new bow 

[Marks]

Somebody vacuum seal a piece and stick it outside in the sun.

[The Gopher]

Good idea Marks, i assumed it was a combination of UV and oxidation at work. All i know is that I like osage!

[JW_Halverson]

Howdy,  I happen to be proud of how dark my favorite bow has turned.  Proof of a lot of use!   My dad was a wood turner and he always said wood turners would apply sun tan lotion to osage in order to slow the color change.   So, you can slow the color change by using a finish with UV protectors and then topping off with your favorite sun tan lotion .   I wonder what deer think about the smell of coconut oil?     Ron

I'm picturing the Coppertone kid in the little polka-dot bikini, but this time the bikini is camo and there is a buck whitetail pulling on the seat, not a cocker spaniel!

[Traxx]

Paint it Yella.

[simson]

Currently I do experiments for speed browning osage.
I'm working with ammoniumhydroxide, damp in a plastic foil

you get an at least 2year old looking osage in just a few hours ...

But I've heard of some chemicals that hinders the aging of wood, I will search for that.

[Mad Max]

Many moon's ago the osage indians found the great yeller tree and made bows from it.
after hunting with it, the deer and buffalo were scare off by the great yeller wood.
so the tribe did a fire dance around the great trees (haya,haya,haya,haya,haya) and prayed to the god's to change the great yeller wood to a darker color
and so it was,
 the great yeller wood slowly turned a darker color, and the tribe thanked the god's .
Believe it or not!

[Joec123able]

Well I'm conviniced it's the sun either way just one good day of shooting, your bow will be another shade darker I had my bows handle wrapped this was a newly finished bow shot for hours in the sun went home took the handle wrapp off and it already had a tan line on it after one day So I'm convinced that at the least the sun speeds the process up

[M-P]

For a somewhat more definitive answer ......http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/preventing-color-changes-in-exotic-woods/     
Turns out we're all on the right track.   Air, UV and time and osage always turns brown!!!

[Dan K]

Thanks MP!