Help--how to refinish wood bow and match existing

[wob]

I just removed leather grip on longbow.

I sanded grip area to reshape grip and remove old glue.

Now bow is down to bare wood in grip area.

I was thinking about keeping grip bare wood, if I could match finish---is this possible??


Bow is Tomahawk with mat finish(?)


How would I proceed to try to match the grip area to rest of bow?   What clear coat product do you recommend, and what prep and process is best?


Thank-you in advance for your woodworking info!

[IdahoCurt]

I would find out what finish Tomahawk used.maybe just have it all sanded and refinished,it will look like a new bow!

[chanumpa]

Good question.I am interested in seeing what feed back the pros here have for us.I have been in the same perdicament and used tru oil hand rubbed in,many coats and come close,but not quite a cigar!

[Zbearclaw]

If I did that, I would sand it all down and refinish all.  No bowyer I know of would fiddle with trying to match an old finish with a new one.

If you aren't confident in doing that, then see what it would cost for either tomahawk or the bow hospital to do that for ya, otherwise just Massey finish it to protect it and hunt the pudding out of it.

FYI IdahoCurt is one of those pros...

[JimB]

Yes,it can be done.I use Helmsman Spar urethane.Just make sure you have the riser dust free.A light coat to start and wait at least 12 hours to recoat-regardless what the can says.A diamondwood riser may only need 4 coats.Some woods may need more.

You may see a little transition were your new finish meets the old.Don't worry about that.If your last coat gets a spot of dusk,lightly remove that with 320 or 400 grit wet or dry sand paper.

Now,let the finish cure for about a week and rub it down with a good stock rubbing compound.This will blend the new finish to the old and any place you light sanded.

Birchwood Casey has a rubbing compound,Brownells has their own brand and Midway USA should have some.FFF compound is too fine,just regular stock rubbing compound for a matt finish.

[wob]

Thanks for the ideas.

I will try to match existing, and if I don't like the results, I will install new leather grip or put a rubber sure-grip on.

JimB--thanks for the refinish info, this is exactly what I was looking for.  I have used a Spar finish on a few wood carvings and a canoe paddle with great results.  This will be a little more challenging to match.

Thanks to all

[**DONOTDELETE**]

DO NOT USE LACQUER!!!  what ever you do...