Ziricote lams

[joegraham]

I just took a one-piece recurve out of the form. I was surprised at how dark the ziricote was under the fiberglass. The ink lines in the grain are hard to see. Is it something I did?  They were sanded with 60 grit.

[Bow man]

We have done a few, and it always goes very dark for us as well

[Crooked Stic]

One thing you have to remember is things get about two shades darker under glass and glue. So your darker browns such as Ziricote wenge and Mac ebony may appear black.

[Tim Finley]

What crooked stick said is right, also walnut, Russian olive and coco bolo (although popular veneer woods) get very dark under glass . Dark woods show up the flaws and streaks in the glass you may not see with lighter woods.

[BigJim]

Of course that all happens to me as well. I have had a couple ziricote veneer bows turn out quite nice, but it was less about he variation in grain/color and more about the huge contrast between the dark wood and the sap wood in the veneers I used. The dark lines in the dark veneer were still difficult to see though.

BigJim

[Overspined]

I bought zircote, and it came out terrible under glass.  I have a pile of beautiful stuff, in fact I may have pitched it, because it shows up basically black...I do use it a little in risers, but it's annoying when the beauty washes out...

[joegraham]

Thanks for the feedback.  It helped to know that it wasn't anything I had done. I stuck the unfinished bow in the corner and looked at it every once in a while.  It does have some sapwood which adds some interest and as dark as it is it looks almost like ebony. I think maybe I can learn to love it. Thanks guys!