Sandpaper

[Crogacht]

I've been pondering this one for awhile.

I was making a little peg for my string jig from a yew offcut last night and noticed that when I used a fine file on the heartwood I get quite a smooth "clean" finish, if that makes sense. But sandpaper seemed  to clog the wood up and the wood, while smooth, doesn't seem to be as "bright" as it is with the file.

I'm not sure I've used the right words to describe it, but hopefully you'll know what I mean.

So I'm pretty sure you guys use sandpaper prior to applying a finish... shellac, truoil, whatever, but your bows look amazing when you're done. I'm yet to apply a finish to a bow, so I don't know how it will turn out for me, but I was wondering if there's something else you do during that step of the process.

Do you need to clean the wood or use something else to prepare the bow after using sandpaper? Is there some other thing you do before finishing? Does anyone not use sandpaper, if not why?

[H Rhodes]

I don't do great finishing work like some of these artisans on this site, but more and more,  I finish most of the smoothing out with the scraper, which leaves a nice smooth surface.  I have to sand around the tips and the nocks so then I start with 80grit, then 100, 150 and the finest grit usually 250.  Taking all the rasp marks out is about as far as I take finish work.  I am a poor role model, in that, as soon as I get it shot in, I am already looking ahead to the next bow.  Finishing work is my least favorite part of the whole process.  I wipe the bow down with a clean cloth after sanding and then start with the stain or sealer.   Whatever type of finish you purchase will have some instructions if your eyes will allow you to read the fine print - mine are shaky at best.  

[Crogacht]

Hehe, I haven't even finished a bow yet and I've already thought ahead about 4 bows, so I'll be lucky if I ever get a string on one 

That's interesting though. I wondering if anyone was using a scraper in place of sandpaper.

It seems like sandpaper might be the only option on a bow with lots of knots and dips and things. What else would get into those spaces?

[osage outlaw]

I use a fine file to get the fades smooth before I sand them.  I go from 100-220 grit sandpaper before burnishing and applying the finish.  I don't have to clean the wood after sanding.  It looks fine to me.

[bushboy]

0000 steel wool works well as the last buffer before finish and between coats to smooth out any uneven finish.

[wizardgoat]

I'm pretty new at this, and finishing techniques is something I'm really trying to work on too.
Some woods seem to sand a lot better than others I find. I've only been going to 320, I find the wood soaks up the finish a lot better, and the finished bow is smooth anyways.

[H Rhodes]

Hehe, I haven't even finished a bow yet and I've already thought ahead about 4 bows, so I'll be lucky if I ever get a string on one 

That's interesting though. I wondering if anyone was using a scraper in place of sandpaper.

It seems like sandpaper might be the only option on a bow with lots of knots and dips and things. What else would get into those spaces?

yeah, on some bows there are little areas that can only be smoothed out by sanding and you shouldn't mix textures - if you sand some of it, sand the whole thing so your finish is one surface.   Tiny blemishes unfinished are glaringly obvious once stained.   I am learning that finishing work is important and I am trying to force myself to slow down and enjoy the whole process more.  Might as well, right?  I mean there will always be another bow on the horizon, and it will wait until you get to it.  It is a powerful addiction....

[huisme]

I sand to 1600 grit and then burnish with a glass bottle in place of antler (I should just get some antler), produces the same high gloss, clear, smooth, even, 'finished' surface for the finish. It stops stains from penetrating the wood so be sure you stop at 150 or something in that area for stains. Use 0000 steel wool between coats of finish to keep things smooth and clear.

Or, you could go the no-gloss rout, which honestly is what I do more often than not as it's just more practical.

[bubby]

I use a progression of sand paper starting at 60 grit up to 320, I wipe the bow down with a dry rag to get al the dust off and apply my finish, right now that's tung oil 5-6 coats and hit it with 0000 steel wool between coats, then however many coats of paste wax, from 4-12 just depends on my mood, not that my work has the best finish  that's just how I do it
side note, by QUALITY sandpaper , it makes all the difference in the world

[Wiley]

For this piece of dogwood i'm working on I know I can get it real smooth with sandpaper and 000/0000 steel wool.  Although with this burnishing talk I think I might just use a cabinet scraper to get it smooth, stain, and then burnish it. Should bring out the woods potential to be really slick once it's done.

Wood dust getting into pores is one of the big reasons for the cabinet scraper existing. It makes thin shavings that won't clog up the pores and properly done will result in a finish as smooth as you can get with sandpaper.

[George Tsoukalas]

After I string the stave, I use only a scraper like tool for tillering. Only a bit of sanding is needed. I use 100 grit and then 220. I moisten a paper towel and dampen the wood to raise the grain. I sand with 2220. I continue sanding and moistening until the grain is not longer raised. Then I use 300 (if I can find it), 400 and 600 grit.
Jawge

[bubbles]

I tried just using a scraper instead of sandpaper for a few, but was dissatisfied with the finished product.  Sandpaper doesn't look as good as scraper wood until you get the finish on. I could never get the wood super smooth with a scraper like I could with higher sandpaper grits (especially on ring porous woods) that's just what I've found.

[bow101]

I use a progression of sand paper starting at 60 grit up to 320, I wipe the bow down with a dry rag to get al the dust off and apply my finish, right now that's tung oil 5-6 coats and hit it with 0000 steel wool between coats, then however many coats of paste wax, from 4-12 just depends on my mood, not that my work has the best finish  that's just how I do it
side note, by QUALITY sandpaper , it makes all the difference in the world

Yep nothing like using good sandpaper, learned that to often. Aluminum oxide works best for me and lasts.

[Crogacht]

Awesome input and advice here guys, much appreciated.

I'll have to do further investigation into sandpaper quality, as I think it is an important point The stuff I have clogs up almost instantly... which might explain part of my problem.

The place I go to only has 1 kind of sandpaper in about 5 different grits 

[The Gopher]

i go 80, 120, 180, and 220

The most important thing to remember when sanding anything is that you need to remove all the tool marks with the grit you are using before moving on to the next grit. if you are still seeing faint file marks with 80 grit, then moving to 120 isn't going to make it any easier to to get them out.

Once you have things looking as good as they possibly can with 80 grit, then the rest of the grits go pretty fast.

One of the best tips i've ever learned on sandpaper came from  Dean Torges book. rip a sheet of sandpaper into 4 equal quadrants, then each quadrant is folded into thirds. this folded piece is the perfect size for holding in your hand, and makes the whole thing usable. you get way more use of a sheet of sandpaper this way.