Removing finish from limbs

[maineac]

I have a 3 pc. longbow that has had some of the finish chip off the back of the upper limb (about the size of a dime).  Started as some yellowish lines then flaked off.  There are other lines along the edges of the limbs in a couple of spots.  The boywer offered to refinish it, but I would rather try it myself, save some money (probably not) and gain some new skills.  What is the est way to remove the old finish?  Sanding, or is there a chemical stripper that would not affect the glues laminating the limbs?

[JJB]

I've refinished a few bows and each one is kind of different.  If your bow has a glossy finish you may be able to put some tru oil over the spot to get it to blend in.  Depending on the type of finish the boyer uses you may be able to sand the spots smooth (I've had good luck with 240, 400 then 600 grit) and apply rattle can finish on it.  Some finishes aren't compatable and you can end up with a gooey mess so I'd recommend starting with a small area.
-Jay

[SportHunter]

I wouldn't do a full refinish for such a small gain. Try the tru oil over the small spots first. Lightly sand the areas with damage, apply a few coats of tru oil over the sanded spots. If you dont like the glossy look of tru oil then buff it lightly with 0000 steel wool, polish to satin sheen with any cloth readily available, piece of denim, golf towel etc.

A few more options would be to sand the rough areas lightLy along with lightly sanding whole bow to scuff the finish, then spray or wipe finish over the entire bow.

Tru oil is a very nice finish if the directions are followed but labor & time intensive.

Minwax spar urethane spray or wipe is very popular but takes some time to dry.

Krylon crystal clear spray is almost too easy. You can recoat with several light coats every few minutes and have a dry bow in a few hours.