Polyurethane and Urethanes
Modern woodworkers are familiar with these. They are readily available and easy to apply. Urethanes coat wood in a low-maintenance, durable, watertight plastic shell. My personal favorite is Minwax Helmsman Gloss Spar Urethane (because of its durability and UV blockers). Gloss is slightly more weather resistant than satin finishes. The disadvantages to polyurethanes; they are toxic and have dangerous fumes. They are best applied outdoors.
Shellac
Before polyurethane, there was shellac. It is made from the resins of Lac insects (mainly, Laccifer lacca). Shellac is an old school choice dating back to the back to the 1500s. Shellac is very safe and can be used as a food coating if mixed with pure ethanol instead of denatured alcohol. It was often used as a finish on children's toys. The biggest complaint on shellac is that it takes forever to dry. Once shellac flakes are dissolved in alcohol, it starts a process where the shellac resins are slowly turned into a gummy mess that never fully dries. It is best to buy shellac flakes and mix only what you need, when you need it. Fresh shellac will dry fast. Old shellac that has been mixed will dry slower.
Shellac requires extra effort and skill, but it's a reliable and safe finish when done correctly. A 2:16 ratio of shellac flakes to alcohol (2 oz. of shellac flakes dissolved in 16 oz. of alcohol) is a good starting point. Once mixed, the Shellac has to be strained through cheesecloth to filter out little bug parts and other impurities. Shellac is also fragile, prone to chipping, scratches, and other damage. The advantage to shellac is that it's easy to repair, can be more resistant to water vapor than urethane if applied correctly, and can be easily removed with denatured alcohol.
The "Massey Finish"
The late Jay Massey used a bow finish of Two Ton Epoxy thinned with acetone. Yes, it is thinned epoxy glue. Jay Massey lived, hunted, and guided in Alaska. He was confident in this finish and I wouldn't be one to contest his experience. Application should have to be done outdoors or in a well ventilated area. I would also imagine that a Massey finish would be extremely difficult to remove.
Grease
A real primitive (and stinky) finish. Animal grease is not much for water resiliency but it will keep the wood hydrated. If you don’t want a social life, you can smear bear grease on your bows.Paraffin Wax
Paraffin works very well, but the application is a little involved. You can apply shavings of wax to the bow and chase it with a heat gun. Or you can melt the wax in a double boiler, apply wax to the bow, then chase it with a heat gun. The heat gun will open the wood's pores and allow the wax to soak in. Use a low setting on the heat gun and be careful to not scorch the wood. Repeat the process until the bow can't absorb anymore wax, then wipe off the excess. The disadvantage to wax is that it needs frequent applications, and more so in wet weather.
Beeswax
Another old bow finish, and used by English longbowmen in the middle ages. If I stopped using Urethane, I'd switch to this or give shellac a serious try. Beeswax is eco-friendly, all-natural and has no smelly fumes. It‘s also perfectly safe and won’t give you a tumor or third eyeball from too much exposure. You can apply beeswax with a double boiler and heat gun, like you would with paraffin, or you can make a paste out of it.
To make a paste; cut beeswax with mineral oil or olive oil in a double boiler. Paste makes the application much easier. Badger Balm is one such concoction of beeswax, olive oil, and natural fragrance. Badger Balm also comes in unscented and I'm sure it would work fine as a bow finish. You can also look into natural furniture paste waxes that have beeswax. With a beeswax/oil paste you rub it into the wood until your hand gets warm. You want to use friction/heat to work the wax into the wood. It'll take a few applications to get good coverage.
Ideally, you would apply beeswax with the double boiler/heat gun, then touch up the finish with a beeswax paste mixture. The disadvantage to beeswax is that it needs frequent applications, and more so in wet weather.
No finish can stop the process of wood stabilizing at its climate's Relative Humidity. The job of a bow finish is to prevent excess hydration and dehydration of the wood as it endures extreme changes in moisture. Wash and dry a new wooden spoon to see the result of what this process can do to wood. One of the above finishes will suit your needs. Good luck.
5 comments:
Just found your web site from a link on the leather wall. Thought it might contain some interesting information.
Sorry I wasted my time....didn't realize that I had inadvertantly stumbled upon a political idiot.
*mind boggles at cowardly anon poster leaving bitchy political comment on LEAST POLITICAL POST EVER*
I hope the selfbow and other archery stuff is informative and useful for you.
The politics: We can always agree to disagree on that, and still be civil. I don't call any party or political philosophy my home, so I'm sure there are some areas of agreement (look through ALL the posts on politics, you might find something there to your liking).
You could have at least left your name/ handle so I'd know who you are.
No big deal, though.
Shellac, a good finish except water (e.g. rain) will stain it ugly or alcohol (e.g. whiskey) will soften or remove it. I buy it as a "three pound cut" mixed, in a can at my local hardware store. The cans are dated. Pick the youngest from the shelf. After brushing, shellac will dry tack free in about 10 minutes. If it takes more than 15 minutes, it's too old. It dries hard enough to sand and recoat overnight. For a good looking finish you need two or three coats, and sand with 220 or finer grit in between coats. When you have enough coats of shellac for looks, give it a final coat of wax for water protection. Butchers wax or Carnauba wax is good. Rub out the wax and you are good to go.
Shellac looks quite well, but it is not the finish I would choose for outdoor wet weather exposure.
To any beginners like myself:
The use of shellac (coating and recoating) is sometimes referred to as a french polish and was commonly used on antique musical instruments.
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