Will linseed oil work on a wood bow ?. I know its good on gun stocks. Thanks.
here is an excerpt from the bowyers bible that will give you an idea of how it has been used before and the authors results;
TBB linseed oil (http://books.google.com/books?id=Du7S2qjEoRgC&pg=PA289&lpg=PA289&dq=linseed+oil+finish+for+a+bow&source=bl&ots=JdUcM0GL5b&sig=i_z0fNmYRQMN7duUHaJzHCYhGOw&hl=en&ei=kejeStDVMJTd8Qaaj5Bz&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CA8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=linseed%20oil%20finish%20for%20a%20bow&f=false)
Tung Oil would be a better finish.
I ues warter base polly put 3 coate on with a rag folded up. first coat put on heavy till shaft shines then lightly rub off excess from nock end twd. point,let dry,then ues fine steel wool to smooth fuz off then wipe with clean rag to get dust off then add a second lite coat,let dry then litely use st. wool again let dry then add 3rd coat.
This is how I do my woodies and are sealed good and were like iron.
I don't believe linseed oil alone to be a good bow finish unless you develop a thick coat over a long time. An old woodworkers oil finish consisted of...one coat a day for a week, one coat a week for a month, one coat a month for a year and one coat a year from then on.
When I make self bows, after final sanding I will wipe down the entire bow with turpentine then hand rub in a good bit of boiled linseed oil(don't use raw). I work this in with my hand and the heat generated by vigorous rubbing. After that I give it a few days to a week then begin adding Tru-Oil, a gun stock finish that is linseed oil based.
Thanks guys . I have used it on gun stocks and it takes a long time to get a glassy finnish. Think Im going to go with Wounded Eagles plan Thanks again. Lots of great help here.
Is it Tung Oil that Mr. Dean Torges Uses to get that Awsome Looking "Color Fade-Out" on his Boo Backs??
Dean uses analine dyes to get the colors on his bamboo-backed bows. I believe he uses a catalyzed epoxy finish over the self or bamboo-backed bows he has built. The finish is a mixed epoxy and is sprayed on, sanded, sprayed, sanded, etc and a final dusting coat with a bit of flattening paste added to the epoxy to take any glare out. Real nice and tough finish. At least, that's what he showed me.