Read where Pat said he uses ground up charcoal as a stain - I liked the idea so I did a little experimenting this morning. Started a fire in my pit and got some chunks of charcoal. Ground some up and mixed in a little paint thinner and rubbed it on a piece of scrap.
(http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/mosborn1007/CharcoalStain002.jpg)
(http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/mosborn1007/CharcoalStain004.jpg)
Then I tried just rubbing it on dry and then rubbing on some tru-oil. (one on left)
(http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/mosborn1007/CharcoalStain005.jpg)
I will let them both dry and give them another coat. See which one I like better. I have a 60" ash with curved tips just begging to be finished!
Thanks for the idea Pat! :bigsmyl:
Anyone use charcoal and have a good method down?
I like that a lot...
You couldnt find a better color for an ash bow either. Good little experiment. I love experiments.
I wanna see more of this!
that does look good. good info thanks
im gonna have to try that
That would be a great look on some ash arrows with white cresting & turkey fletchings.
That looks great. Cant wait to see it on a bow.
ps, your wifes gonna kill you for using kitchen utensils to mix your charcoal!
Haven't had time to try it on the bow yet - maybe this week.
Kyle - have permission to use that old spoon - or you would be right! :eek:
I love hand rubbed charcoal on a whitewood selfbow. I use bear fat, veg oil or even water as a carrier. I like how it gets down in the grain and only slightly colors the rest. Any dry pigment colorant will do the same.
thats a good idea drewster- might make them hard to find, geuss you just gotta make sure you hit your target.
i am going to try this on a hickory stave i have, matched with some spruce arrows.
great thread!!!
I read somewhere that some of the oldtime gunsmiths (early 1800's) used charcoal to stain gunstocks. It really looks nice on your test strips. Thanks for posting and would love to see the finised product.
James
Come on,,, do it, post it! :smileystooges:
I have considered doing this with osage dust on hickory backings. Thought it might blend the hickory in a little more. But I like the charcoal. It would appear to be a better camo cover-up.
Ok - tried the charcoal on the ash bow. First I rubbed in the charcoal dry. I then rubbed on some tru oil. The tru oil kind of smeared the charcoal around a bit and made it hard to even out - but I got through it. Let it dry and then put on a bit more charcoal in the light areas. The back has little grain and did not take the charcoal that well. Then gave another coat of oil. Ended up with a couple of places where the coal smeared and a couple of runs I missed but not bad - it will do.
I might practice on a scrap piece and try incorporating the charcoal with some vegetable oil or something and then using the tru oil. Also I think next time I will do it in sections - belly of one limb (let dry) and then back of that limb (let dry) then move to the other limb.
Before -
(http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/mosborn1007/charcoal003.jpg)
(http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/mosborn1007/charcoal002.jpg)
After-
(http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/mosborn1007/charbow003.jpg)
(http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/mosborn1007/charbow002.jpg)
(http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/mosborn1007/charbow001.jpg)
That's really pretty, and it looks like it will flat out disappear in the woods.
thats a great looking stain. very cool :thumbsup:
love that have to try it
mwosborn- That turned out great!
From here it looks great, thanks for yhe follow up!
Looks awesome!!! Great idea
i really like your end results grain shows nice great camo color thanks for trying something anyone can do. LjT
I'm working on a bow for my grand daughter using zebrawood for the riser. She's into zebras big time and this should really set it off. Got to try this on some scrap pieces. BTW Mitch I'm originally from Newman Grove. Good to see a fellow Boone county person on TGang.
Neat!
I've been using a traditional vinegar and steel wool ebonizing solution on red oak followed by Kiwi black shoe polish then sprayed w/ lacquer but it's very delicate --- this looks like the perfect intermediary to replace the shoe polish wax which causes the delicacy problem.
Looks really good. I'll have to try that. Don't lay that bow down, you might not find it!
Thanks for the nice comments guys!
Hey Galen - this internet makes it a small world! I know there are still Benson's in NG - any relation?
Mitch still have lots of family in and around NG.
super cool
Wow!! When I first saw your samples I was kinda skeptical but now after seeing the bow with stain, it's just beautiful!!
Wonder how it would work to grind it up in some shellac or water base poly??
Not sure how that would work Monterey. Guy would just have to try iy on a piece of sanded scrap. I think I might have my bow sanded too smooth for this technique. Went to 400 grit. Next time might only go to 220. Let me know if you try it.
Very nice effect!
Beautiful how the colors fade between really dark and lighter greys... I may have to try this on my next red oak bow :) The porous grain should really soak up the charcoal.
That looks great. I'm working on a little bow for my son and was wanting to get a black/gray color to the bow. This looks like a good way to get it. Has anyone used this method to color the wood then glued on a backing or snakeskin? Any problem with adhesion of the glue to the back with the charcoal stain? Just wondering because I was going to do a snakeskin backing on my boys bow. Thanks.
Aaron
You're going to need to apply your skin first Aaron, so the stain isn't going to a factor there. Or are you wanting to darken your bow under the skin?
I really like that. Something else I need to try! Which is always good.